


The Red Haired Woman

by Spooky66



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M, Post-Colonization (X-Files), Post-Episode: s10e06 My Struggle II, The X-Files Revival
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-09
Updated: 2016-12-01
Packaged: 2018-08-14 03:31:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 38
Words: 62,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7997026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spooky66/pseuds/Spooky66
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a continuation of season 10. Here is my version of where that all went and what happened to William. Also posted on fanfiction.net. Hope you enjoy!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The Red Haired Woman

Disclaimer: I do not own the X Files. If I did there would be no season 9 and everything would end in cute baby fluffiness. But since I am a stickler for cannon and this is the world we live in I write to make up for it.

 

A Mother’s Tears

He had dreams about the red haired woman every night for the past few weeks. At first he just thought it was random but then he realized that these dreams were memories. He could not explain it but he just knew. The first dream was just snap shots of the beautiful woman with fiery red hair and kind eyes. He would see others in these dreams as well but all those surrounding them were blurred and their voices unclear.

She was always in focus. She looked at him as if he were the world and held on to him as if she was scared he would disappear. The first couple dreams he could not hear her voice. Her mouth would move but nothing came out. He was desperate to hear her. In his mind he somehow just knew she was his birth mother. He could see it in her face and could feel it in his own emotions in the dreams.

As the dreams continued he saw more and more of her and started to know more about her. On the first night that he heard her voice he woke up peaceful and happy but felt that a part of him was missing. Throughout his dreams she would hold him and sing to him. She sang all kinds of songs to him most that she made up herself.

The first time he saw her cry was about two weeks after the dreams began. It started with his eyes closed. He felt himself in a deep sleep that only a baby can achieve.

Tonight’s dream, however, had a different feel to it. A teardrop hitting his cheek woke him up. He opened his eyes but stayed quiet, just watching her. She was holding him as she was doing some chores around her home but she paused when she saw he was awake.

“Oh baby I am so sorry.” She said as she wiped the tear off of his cheek. “I didn’t want to wake you. I am just sad. I miss your daddy so much. I know you don’t know him well but he is the most amazing man.” She continued this line of thought as she sat down with him on her couch. “You know William, you will probably hear this your whole life but you are our little miracle. You came to us as an answer to a prayer. I do not understand so many things about this universe but I have come to understand that the most powerful force in the world is love. Love can bring life and heal broken hearts and cause miracles. And I know you will live a good life because we love you more than anything in the world. You will always be loved no matter what. Your daddy loves you so much. I know you don’t understand now but someday I hope you will. He didn’t leave because he wanted to but because he had to. No matter what happens remember that we love you.”

She seemed to be talking more to herself than to him and he understood why as he heard the loneness in her voice.

That scene faded to him looking into a blurry face of a man he had never seen before.

“His name is William. After your father.” He heard his mothers voice ring through the silence.

As the man held him longer his face started to clear and he was able to see that the man looked at him in the same way that his mother did. He could hear muffled conversation between the two but was too focused on the man’s face to pay attention. He felt them leaning forward as they kissed over him.

He understood at that moment that this man was his father. The memory continued for a minute or so longer as he felt safe in his father’s arms. He looked down at William with a look of wonder and kissed his forehead.

The lighthearted feeling stopped abruptly when his alarm woke him up. He panicked for a moment desperate to get back to the dream but soon realized it was useless. He grabbed his phone and disabled his alarm. The smell of pancakes floated up into his room, as he was getting ready for school and for the first time that morning a smile crossed his face.

He made his way downstairs and into the kitchen. Standing at the stove surrounded by the morning light stood his mother still unaware that he was there. He heard her humming a hymn as she prepared their breakfast.

“Morning mom.” He said as he entered the kitchen going strait to the fridge to grab some orange juice. He then moved over near her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“Good morning Will. How did you sleep?” She said continuing to work on the bacon and eggs in front of her.

“I slept ok. I am still having weird dreams though. They keep getting more and more vivid. Mom, I think they are memories.” His mother turned around at that point to serve him a fried egg and a couple slices of bacon.

“Maybe they are. I have always thought that dreams have significance. Dreams are a way of communicating with the deepest part of us. Sometimes dreams are even messages that God is trying to communicate to us. These dreams of your birth mother could mean many things William.”

“Last night I dreamed about my father too. My first dream that I remember was my mother telling me about him. Something about him not being there but only because he was in danger. It was pretty confusing and she was crying so it was hard to understand. Then for the first time he was there I saw him but I didn’t hear his voice. He seemed to love me. She told him that she had named me William after his father. That is all that I remember before my alarm went off.”

“Why do you think that you are only seeing him for the first time?”

“I think that he was not there for most of the time before I came to you. But it could also be…” Will trailed off knowing that his mom would know what he was saying without words. He felt her hand on his own.

“Because this is the weekend of you and dad’s annual fishing trip.” She finished for him.

“Yeah.” His mother vacated her chair and came up next to him and knelt down in front of his chair.

“I was thinking we could do something of our own this weekend. Something new. What do you think?” She said as she brushed her fingers through his hair. William smiled at her sadly but felt the warmth that only came when she looked at him like he was the only important thing in the world.

“That sounds nice.” She leaned forward to kiss his forehead and promptly got up.

“You need to finish eating or you will miss the bus.”


	2. The Miracle Boy

The Miracle boy

School was a blur for William as it was most days. Most of his classes bored him from easiness. The only interesting or challenging classes were his AP and senior level classes. He would have wanted to take only these classes but as a freshman he was not a priority. So he sat through intro to writing and algebra writing down his dreams in as best detail as he could. He did not want to forget a moment of it all. Especially last nights dream.

William had friends but not as many as his mother wished. He could sometimes be withdrawn and he was very picky about who he trusted. Also the fact that he was in so many higher-level classes did not help him socially. His friends consisted of a few guys who all were in his classes. They would get together to play video games, do homework, watch video games, and an occasional game of pick up basketball.

They were well known around his house as he was at theirs. He had only confided in one of his friends about his dreams. Talon had been William’s best friend since before he could remember. His childhood had been filled with backyard camp outs, star wars reenactments, and comic books with his best friend. In the past few years William had truly started to feel different.

Anyone who had known him knew that he had been different his whole life but puberty brought his own attention to this. It was just small things that didn’t even happen all the time but whenever they did he and those close to him were reminded of his unknown birth.

The first time his parents noticed he was different was when William was only 4 years old. He was outside playing with the dog. The dog, Bennie, was getting old and was losing his vision, which caused him to sometimes trip while running. This very thing happened on that day but the difference was the way the dog landed on it. They could tell the moment he hit the ground that he had most likely broken his paw. Considering the dogs age William’s father knew that it was the dogs time. William sat there crying begging to save the dog. As his father went to make arrangements William sat there with Bennie. He took hold of the dogs mud slicked paw. As he moved it a moan came from the dog and William petted his head.

“I will fix you.” As he said it a warm feeling spread through his hands and the dogs paw. William just sat and watched.

Within a few seconds the dog was moving to get up and ran looking back to see if William was following. His mother and father went to the porch upon hearing their son’s shouts of joy. They just stood there amazed and at the same time frightened.

It was stories like these that he shared with his friend. Talon had even witnessed some strange events. When they were 12 years old on a camping trip William started a fire with nothing but his hands. After that trip the boys began research to find out what he could be.

They found an old newspaper that had been shut down at some point but still had online files. The website was old and hard to find but it was also very interesting. It was called ‘The Lone Gunmen’ and it held many different secrets from around the globe. Ideas on government conspiracies, aliens, and technology. Talon and William loved reading their old articles and wished they could meet the men who wrote them. They told stories that were sometimes too amazing to believe. Ancient space ships in Africa, microchip implants in alien abductees, and a secret coalition of men who ran the world.

To the boys all of this was science fiction but sometimes at night William would see visions of these things and for a little while would be convinced that what the men wrote was true. He wanted so badly to believe.

As the teacher droned on William pondered all of these thoughts. Soon his eyes started to close as he began to feel the lack of sleep. Almost as soon as his eyes closed the dreams started. This one was terrifying.

He was with a strange woman in a strange car. He could hear himself screaming out and felt total panic in his chest as he wondered where his mother was. The woman murmured different comforting phrases to him that went unnoticed. All he could think about was his mother. The next moment he was in a strange place surrounded by people. He still found himself looking around helplessly for his mother when a sudden explosion surrounded him. He watched as some kind of craft flew out of the ground and away. He did not care though because he just wanted her.

He screamed with everything he had and suddenly her face appeared over him. Her cheeks were covered in tears and she held him close making promises that he would never be in danger again.

A shove woke him from this nightmare and he awoke to find the entire classroom looking at him.

“William are you alright?” His teacher asked with concern written on her face.

William looked around at a loss to explain what had just happened so he just shrugged, “Yeah I am ok. I just did not get a lot of sleep last night. Sorry.”

He shifted awkwardly in his seat avoiding eye contact with everyone as the lesson picked back up. He just kept his head down until class was dismissed. William bolted out of the classroom narrowly avoiding his teacher who he could tell wanted to talk.

He pretended not to see the stares of his fellow students and tried to ignore the whispered comments. He could hear snippets of the student’s thoughts as he burned a path toward the bathroom. It was always at the most stressful moments that this particular gift chose to make itself known and he hated it. He rushed into a stall and covered his ears knowing it would do nothing to help. He heard someone else come into the bathroom and stayed quiet hoping he would not be noticed.

“Will, you in here?” Came the voice of his best friend. “What happened? Did you have another one of those dreams?”

William slowly stood up and opened the stall door, “Yeah I did not sleep much last night. This one was a nightmare. It was awful. But really I don’t want to talk about it.” William looked down at the ground as he relayed this.

“You don’t have to. Wanna skip out? I have some interesting new information anyways that I think you might want to see.”


	3. Dreaming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> William has more dreams about his birth parents.

Dreaming

They made their way out of the school and headed to a McDonalds that was across the street. Once seated with drinks and a meal Talon opened up his laptop.

“So I was randomly looking around last night on the Lone Gunmen sight when I couldn’t sleep and I came across this.” He turned the laptop around so William could see the screen. William took a quick sip of his coke and pulled the laptop closer.

The page read: ‘Miraculous conception or a Government/alien conspiracy?’

He scanned down and read an unbelievable story about to unnamed FBI agents. The female agent had known for a few years that she would be unable to have children but mysteriously found herself pregnant with not much of an explanation as to how the child came to be.

The writer of the article speculated that this child was either some kind of anomaly created the old fashioned way or was apart of a larger conspiracy to create an alien slave race. William felt a strange connection to the story but did not understand how this was connected to him.

“What? Do you think I am the baby they are talking about?” William asked skeptically.

“At first I thought nothing of it but if you keep scrolling down you will see a later entry about the birth of the baby. It was amazing. The child was born in a secret location surrounded by on lookers that they call ‘super soldiers’. But the thing is that they only have two more publications one details the abduction of the kid’s father and the other tells of the baby who they say had some kind of powers that let him move things with his mind. Then I found a follow up article that explained the death of the guys who ran this paper.”

“Ok but I still don’t see the connection.”

“The kid could move things with his mind Will! You’ve done that before!”

“Yeah a couple times and only things that are really small.”

“You say that like it is something everyone can do.” Talon said dryly.

“Sorry I just am not really in the mood.” William shut the laptop.

“That’s ok. I was hoping it would help you to feel better.”

“It’s just…the dream that I had during class… It was awful. I think I understand why she gave me up. I don’t know what was happening but it was really bad.” William felt tears prickle at his eyes. “But the worst was this whole time I had this feeling that something bad is gonna happen. Like really bad. At the very end of the dream I felt it. She looked at me and it was like a small voice said, ‘she needs you’. I don’t understand!” William laid his head on the table in a gesture of defeat.

Talon sat quietly for a moment before saying quietly, “What do you think is going to happen?”

William looked up at him, “I think I am going to have to dream more to find out. The thing is though that I don’t want to find out! I didn’t ask for any of this! If my parent’s lives were so dangerous and supernatural why would they even have me!?”

“Well you saw the report on it. Your mom never thought she could have a kid. They were probably over the moon.”

“Well she didn’t think she could protect me so how could I ever hope to protect her from whatever is coming?”

“Like you said: you need another dream.”

There was still a few hours left in school but the boys did not want to go back so they decided to sneak back to Talon’s house since his parents worked during the day. They had decided that William should try to go back to sleep to see what else he could figure out. William was exhausted so falling asleep was not too hard except for the fear that he felt in the back of his mind. As his eyes closed a vision began right away.

This vision was different than the others though it seemed more like a message. William could not shake the feeling that someone or something was orchestrating this and his concerns were confirmed when he heard a voice say, ‘everything will be fine but they need you’.

As the voice trailed off William found himself in a classroom filled with what looked like college students. He turned his head and was startled to find a very young version of his birth mother. She was chewing on her pencil as she concentrated on the words coming from the professor. Right as he was wondering if she could see him she looked up and gave him a small smile. His heart stopped for a moment and he was about to reach out when he found himself somewhere else. It was a tiny dark room. William surmised that it was a basement based off the one window in the room that was at the very top of the celling.

He turned when he heard footsteps entering the room. There walking into the room holding two boxes filled with who knows what was his father who also looked much younger than in previous dreams. He didn’t seem to take notice of William as he unpacked his boxes and hummed unintelligible tunes. William watched in wonder as his birth father unraveled a poster featuring a flying saucer with the words ‘I WANT TO BELIEVE’ stamped across the bottom. His father stood back and looked at it for a moment and then got back to work unpacking his boxes.

Next thing William knew he was standing in a small dark apartment. He heard the sounds of a TV and turned to see both his birth parents sitting on the couch watching a movie. Beers and pizza in hand they both looked intently at the TV as if something very important was unfolding.

“Mulder this is ridiculous and frankly pretty gross. I’m eating!” His birth mother said looking disgusted at the TV.

“Oh come on Scully you preform autopsies like once a week and you can’t stomach animal/alien births!?” His father replied sounding astonished.

“Yes but not while eating! And anyways I see no proof of anything alien just unusual animal births.” She said with a mouth full.

“But Scully did you see the last one when…” The sound of playful arguing faded as he was transported to another memory. He was in a hospital room. He saw his father lying on the bed and next to him sat his mother. He had his hand on her cheek, which was covered by her own.

“So I see I missed a lot.” He said nodding pointedly at her. William took a few quiet steps closer and realized that she was pregnant and looked pretty far along. He could tell she had been crying but she looked so happy at the same time.

She gave a small sad laugh in response and said, “Not too much. Pretty boring around here.” There was a slight twinkle in her eyes and she kissed his hand.

“So… How? How is it possible?”

“I don’t know Mulder.” A few stray tears made tracks down her face but a small smile remained. “There are no explanations. I am kind of scared of what the answers could be.”

“Did they do anything to you?” He said slightly more alert.

“No. I found out the night you were abducted. That’s why I was so sick. I passed out while I was with the Gunmen and they ran me to the hospital. When they told me I didn’t know how to feel. My first reaction was thinking how excited I was to tell you and not a few minutes later Byers came in and told me you were missing.” He just looked at her sadly. “I need you for this.” She said meaningfully. “I don’t know how this child came to be but I need you. He will need you.”

A smile broke out onto his fathers face, “He?” His mother nodded, “But don’t tell anyone. It’s a secret.”

The last image of them was of his birth parents looking at each other smiling and full of love. He was not prepared for what came next. He was in a jail cell looking at his parents sitting on the floor. His father was in an orange prison uniform and looked like he had gone through hell. His mother was crying.

“… You have no idea how much has already been lost. What I’ve had to do.” She said breathlessly.

“I do know. Skinner told me.” He said carefully.

This seemed to make her heart break even more, “Our son, Mulder… I gave him up. “ He embraced her wordlessly and she continued, “Our son. I’m so afraid you could never forgive me.”

“I know you had no choice.” He spoke into her hair. “I just missed both of you so much.”

Everything around William grew dark and the image of his parents crying and holding each other slipped away.


	4. Finding the Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter I decided to bring back characters that were thought dead but are alive in the comics. If you want to know about their role in the comic PM me and I can tell you about it! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the X Files TV Show or comic

 Finding The Truth

William thought it was over at first. Since everything was dark he didn’t know where he was but he suddenly felt very afraid.

“Mom!” The shout was enveloped by the dark.

Later William would realize, with some shame, that the mother he was yelling for and needing was his birth mother and not the woman who raised him but in that moment he was desperate.

“Mom!” He screamed it this time with tears falling down his face. He felt like a small child who was scared of the dark. After shouting for the third time he heard something in the distance.

“William!” It was so soft that he thought maybe his ears were tricking him but he didn’t wait to find out and instead started sprinting in the direction he thought it had come from. “William!” It was louder this time.

He started to see a faint green glow and very suddenly came upon a strange scene. There was his mother looking much older than the last time he had seen her. She was looking up into the sky toward where the strange green light was coming from but was also looking around frantically.

“William!”

“Mom I’m here!” He ran right up to her and threw his arms around her but she didn’t move or seem to notice him. A slight movement in the corner of his vision caught his attention. There was a car and in it was his father, also looking much older. William reluctantly removed his arms from his unaware mother and moved toward his father. He could tell the man was dying. He was covered in bruises and sweat. There were welts on his skin and Will could practically feel the fever coming off of him. His eyes were closed and when they opened suddenly William jumped back in fear reaching unconsciously for his mother.

“You have to find us Will.” He father said clearly looking him in the face.

A second later he was lying on Talon’s couch shaking and covered in sweat. William kept the end of his dream to himself telling Talon that he had not seen anything important. He wanted to figure this part out on his own first.

He went on to their only computer that sat in the living room and opened up the links that Talon had sent him leading him to the articles written by the Lone Gunmen. He first did research on the men who had run the publication. There was not much on them though. On the site they gave fake names that matched different historical characters.

There was a hidden link on the very bottom left of the site that if you didn’t look very closely you would miss, which was most likely the point.

The link said: to contact the Lone Gunmen with information or questions press here. When William pressed the link it opened to a different screen that had a list of five different email addresses on it along with a P.O box address and three phone numbers.

William quickly entered in the first number on the screen into his cell phone but was met with a message saying the number had been disconnected. The same message was linked with each number. He knew that he shouldn’t have been surprised as the website had not been active since before he could talk but it still stung.

He decided to send the same email to all five email addresses:

_Hello, My name is William Van De Kamp and I am looking for my birth parents. I believe that you know who they are._

_I have read a lot of your publications and have enjoyed many but today a friend showed me some articles concerning a baby that was born under mysterious circumstances and then given up for adoption. I think I might be that child._

_I have always been different but lately I have been having dreams of my parents. I think they are memories from before I was adopted and I think they need my help. I know all of this sounds strange but I figured if anyone would believe me it would be you guys._

_The only real clues I have are their names: Scully and Mulder. Please help me. William Van De Kamp (Scully/Mulder??)_

He took a breath and pressed send on the final copy and knew he just had to wait now. He couldn’t sit still though and finally got up to get a piece of paper. He scribbled the same message on the paper and wrote the address for the P.O. box on an envelope. He was about to seal it when he had an idea. He ran up to his room and looked through a pile of old photos on his desk. He finally found one that was perfect. It was an old school photo of him in forth grade. There was nothing extraordinary about it but in it he saw his mother’s face. He stared at it for a moment and realized how much he looked like her. He became momentarily distracted as he ran to the mirror on the other side of his room. He stared at his own reflection. He had his mother’s eyes but not her red hair. Instead he had dirty blond hair that covered his forehead. He looked down at the picture and realized that he had his father’s smile. He didn’t even have to try to fake a smile as he realized that he was closer to them than he thought. Soon he saw them clearly when he looked at his own reflection. When he remembered his original mission he went back downstairs, put the photo in the envelope, put on a stamp, and ran out to the mailbox letter in hand.

He would find them somehow and he would save them.


	5. Back From the Dead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one pretty short. This is the chapter that will mainly deal with events in the comics it will not be from William’s POV actually to make it easier. Obviously combining the comics’ season 10 with the shows season 10 turns this slightly more AU but I could not leave these guys out! FYI if you haven’t read the comics read them! If you have read the comics and find something I left out don’t tell cause I have not finished! Enjoy! And as always leave a review! (I did not watch the Lone Gunmen series so excuse any errors)

Disclaimer: If I ran into a genie I would ask to own the X Files but until that day they still belong to Fox and Chris Carter. ☹

Back From the Dead

John Byers, Melvin Frohike, and Richard Langly had been dead for 15 years as far as the government was concerned. In reality they had been alive and kicking the whole time in their own underground bunker. The three men, feeling their operations were in danger, had decided to fake their own deaths and go into hiding. This does not mean they gave up their work however. They had stopped all publications but had kept up their old ways of hacking and finding the truth.

They were able to stay under the radar by offering secret help to certain branches of the government. Langly sat lazily at the computer as he worked on a freelance-coding program for a start up gaming company when an email notification appeared on the screen.

This was surprising and alarming to him for a couple reasons. The main one being that no one had used that email in over a decade. He called over his partners who were each working on their own projects. They all gathered around the screen but did not open it.

“What should I do?” Langly asked

“Well perhaps we should open it on a different computer. One with less important information.” Byers offered up.

They ran to get a different lap top and quickly logged into the old email account. What they read put the three normally talkative men into silence that lasted a few minutes.

It read:

_Hello, My name is William Van De Kamp and I am looking for my birth parents. I believe that you know who they are. I have read a lot of your publications and have enjoyed many but today a friend showed me some articles concerning a baby that was born under mysterious circumstances and then given up for adoption. I think I might be that child. I have always been different but lately I have been having dreams of my parents. I think they are memories from before I was adopted and I think they need my help. I know all of this sounds strange but I figured if anyone would believe me it would be you guys. The only real clues I have are their names: Scully and Mulder. Please help me. William Van De Kamp (Scully/Mulder??)_

Byers was the first to speak up, “Well this can’t be any good.”

“No this is great! Of course their kid figured it out. I mean he has got Scully’s brains and Mulder’s cunning. This is awesome.” Langly said with a smile picking up an old secure cell phone to phone their old friend Agent Mulder.

“No!” Frohike said grabbing the phone from his hands. “Use your brain you hippie! This kid will be in danger if anyone finds out where he is.”

“This also has the potential to reopen old wounds.” Byers agreed. “

You know this kid won’t give up if he really wants to find them. I mean it is bred into him to never stop. Isn’t it better we are the ones to help him than any other connection he could find? Look there is a number right here at the bottom. I say we give him a call. We don’t have to tell the agents yet.” Langly said.

The three men all looked at each other and knew what they had to do.


	6. Washington D.C.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for a queen sized bed, a small, TV, and thousands of dollars in student loans so please do not sue me. 

Washington D.C.

William was eating dinner when his phone began to ring. He had told his mother some of what had happened that day but also did not want to tell her he was trying to get in contact with total strangers that believed in aliens and bigfoot.

He looked up at her silently asking permission to answer the phone. She smiled softly and nodded. William jumped up and ran to his backpack.

The number was blocked which gave him some hope.

“Hello?” He said nervously.

A garbled voice that was obviously masked answered, “We received an email containing sensitive information along with this phone number. Is this William?”

William’s heart skipped a beat. “Yeah this is Will. Is this the Lone-“

“Do not finish whatever you were about to say. The information you sent us is very sensitive and potentially dangerous. We should warn you that if you do choose to pursue this path you and your mother could be put into danger.”

“Why?” William asked even though he could guess at some of it.

“I assume you have read some of what we published that had to do with your parents. (By the way to not say their names on this line…) Your mother put you up for adoption for this exact reason. There are people who would look to hurt you.”

“They are the ones in trouble. I know it. They need my help tell me how to find them.”

“We can assure you they are safe. They are working with the government once again and are doing just fine.”

“No you don’t understand I had a dream and in it Mul- my dad said they needed me.”

There was silence at the other end and for a moment William worried they would brush it off.

“You say you have been having these dreams…. Have you ever been able to do strange, unexplainable things? Like move objects with your mind, or read others minds, or the ability to heal…?”

“Yes. I have always been weird.” The silence began again and he had to assume they pressed mute and were discussing the options.

“What does your mother think of all of this?” William looked back into the kitchen at his mother who was now standing at the sink doing the dishes. “She knows most of it. She doesn’t know I tried to contact you but she wants to help me solve what is happening with my dreams and… abilities.”

“All we can tell you right now is that we will email you an address. Respond with a time and we can meet you and your mother there. But this will only happen if she is on board.”

“She will be. Do my parents know that I contacted you?”

“No. We do not want to get them involved just yet.”

This irritated William slightly, “Why? How do I know we will not go to the address and just be led on some wild goose chase? How do I even know you know my parents?”

“We promise that if you follow our instructions you will get to see them. Do you know what kind of trouble could be coming for them?”

“No but it seemed bad and it seemed like it was coming soon.”

“You will get an email tonight. Respond promptly.”

Then the phone went dead. The plan was formed quickly after William received the email. His mom agreed to take him to Washington D.C. that weekend as their trip. They would leave the next day. The Lone Gunmen offered them a free flight.

At first Mrs. Van De Kamp was hesitant about it all but ended up deciding that if she was with him William would be fine. She set up other things to do while there. Tours and exhibits but she knew the main point would be searching for his birth parents.

This did not upset her the way she thought it would when William was a baby. When he first came to them she worried often that he would leave them to find his birth mother or she would come to find him and want him back. Some nights she would have nightmares about such things. But William had grown up to be so kind and loving.

He had, since he first came to them, been ahead of others his age. Not only in intelligence but he always just seemed to be somewhat of an old soul. Not to say he didn’t have typical tantrums. When William did not want to do something he wouldn’t do it. He had become better at this when it came to his parents. His stubbornness then came less from childishness or laziness and became more about principles and views. He would argue with teachers in class if he did not agree. He felt no shame about pointing out logical flaws in his peers and teachers. This naturally got him in trouble with both.

Despite the difficulty it sometimes caused Leah and Daniel Van De Kamp loved this about William.

They loved everything about him.


	7. Quarantine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am heading into a part of the story that will be more complicated so excuse any errors. I am also a stickler for cannon (mostly) but if things like date and time don’t match up please just ignore it. Let me know what you think!!

Disclaimer: I don’t own the X Files

Quarantine

The atmosphere on the plane was one of any early morning flight. Everyone just wanted to get on the plane and to their destination fast. Most of the other passengers were business people who looked tired and quickly sat down putting on headphones to block out the world.

William on the other hand was very excited. Not only for the trip and the possibility of meeting his birth parents. He had only been on a plane one time when he was eight and his parents used some of their hard earned savings to take him to Disney Land. They did not go on many trips but William had been begging to go for his birthday for years. That time he just looked out the window the entire time chatting loudly to the people around him.

It had been one of the best days of his life when he got to go into the cockpit and sit with the Pilot with his hat on. He sat there for a while asking all kinds of questions about what button did what and at the end got a little pin set of wings. William knew this time would be different but the excitement of flying had not worn off. He couldn’t tear his eyes from the window as the sun rose turning the sky orange.

His mother slept during the flight. William tried to sleep but was too nervous so instead he read and listened to music while checking their time every five minutes.

When D.C. finally came into sight William could not longer sit normally in his seat and he turned so his whole body was facing the window. His brow furrowed. Below them as they got closer he could see that there were many emergency vehicles, many more than usual.

A feeling of foreboding came over him that he tried to ignore as they landed on the tarmac. They began to taxi to the gate but as they got close the plane stopped.

A voice came over the speakers, “Attention passengers: we have been informed that there is a situation happening in Washington currently. We have been told that the entire airport is quarantined until further notice.”

A murmur arose in the plane as people began to get nervous.

“There is not need to panic. We know little about the situation right now but we will keep you updated. Right now we are going to pull up to the gate. Passengers will be allowed out five at a time and led to a secure area by authorities. Panic will just slow the system down and make it harder on everyone so please just follow directions. I will let you know when I hear anything new.”

Leah grabbed her son’s hand looking strait forward. William let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. He didn’t know what to do. There was a part of him that knew for certain that this situation had something to do with his family or at least the things that had happened to his family. He knew it was not a logical conclusion but everything in him told him to get him and his mom out of the airport and to find his birth parents.

“Mom we need to get out of here.” He said turning to whisper to her, “I know it sounds crazy but I think if we find my biological parents they can help. What if this is what my dream was about?”

She looked at him softly, “Will I think we should just listen to the people in charge and go where they tell us.” She patted his hand.

As if on cue William’s phone rang. The caller ID told him that it was many of the numbers the Lone Gunmen used.

He quickly answered, “Hello?”

“William? We had your flight time we assume you are in D.C. by now?” The voice was not disguised like it was last time, which caused William some slight concern.

“Yeah we are still on the plane though, at the gate. They said they are going to put us under quarantine.”

A string of curses reached William’s ear before the receiver was covered and he could only hear muffled conversation.

“Are you still on the plane?” A different voice asked.

“Yeah but they are letting people off in groups. We will probably be out in fifteen minutes or so.”

“Ok when you get off call us back on this number. We are going to get you out of that airport.”

“Is that safe? They are telling us to stay put.”

“Listen, there is no way to avoid what is coming but you are immune. A virus is taking hold of different big cities all over the U.S. and it is basically destroying everyone’s immune systems causing people to catch all number of diseases. You and your birth mother share Alien DNA that will protect you from all of this but your mom will begin to get sick whether she is in the airport or not. The only way to protect her is to find Scully. She will help. We have not been in contact with her yet but we have patched through to the security system in the hospital where she works. It appears that she is beginning to figure out what is going on.”

“How do you guys know what is going on?”

“We have gotten bits and pieces of information on this for a while now and when we found out it had started we began to keep an eye on the hospital which is how we figured the rest out but we are still not totally sure on all of the details. We just know that both of you need to get out of the airport. Call us when you are off. We are going to be finding a route for you to get out.”

“Ok I guess. Where are you guys?”

“When we woke up and saw what was happening we locked ourselves in fully. We already have a very secure living and operational space.”

“So I won’t see you guys? You’re just going to hide?” William sounded slightly irritated.

“Unfortunately yes. The only people who can unlock this place now are your parents otherwise we will be down here for a couple months.”

“Great. I’ll call when we are off.” William hung up and slid down in his seat.

His mom’s eyes were on him but he wasn’t ready to explain just yet because he wasn’t even sure he liked the idea. She waited patiently for him to explain himself as the group in front of them was let off the plane.

“That was the Lone Gunmen. They say we need to get out of here and find my birth mother. They said she is the only one who can help us and that I will not get sick because of my relation to her but you will. They said it doesn’t matter if we are locked away in here or not, it will come eventually. They said to call when we get off the plane and they will give us instructions.” Will said all of this and carefully looked at his mom, “What do you think?”

She thought about it for a few moments. Her fear of the unknown was strong but the instinct to protect her child was stronger. The problem was that she didn’t know if this would be protecting him. She didn’t know these men but William seemed to trust them. He had always had a sense about people but she was concerned that he trusted them so easily because he wanted to believe what they were saying.

She looked into William’s eyes and could tell that he thought this was what they needed to do. “It doesn’t seem like we have many options. If you think we can trust these men and they will lead us to her then… It seems like the best option.” She sighed.

Before William could respond a flight attendant instructed them and a few others to get out of their seats and follow her out of the airplane. William knew things were only going to get harder and more painful from there on out.


	8. His Struggle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: LONG chapter. I hope you enjoy this because things are going to get crazy after this and I am going to be veering away from Chris Carter’s mythology (lets be honest though, is there really any strait forward mythology anymore) and into my own.

Disclaimer: The X Files are not mine

His Struggle

The plan was formed quickly after William and Leah were taken to their assigned quarantined zone. William grabbed some paper from the backpack he had with him and scrawled instructions and a small map. They would follow the map but he would need to stay on the phone with the Gunmen for updates so he plugged in his headphones so he would not have to hold his phone.   
“Alright kid you got that all down?” One of the mysterious men asked.   
“Yeah I am ready whenever you give the signal. Mom?” William turned to his mother to see if she was ready for what was to come. She gave a small smile and a nod and leaned forward to kiss his head.   
“I’m ready.” She said.   
“Alright guys say when.” William said into the phone.   
The Gunmen were on their end watching video feeds from the security footage (feeds that were very hard to hack into thank you) and had their eyes on William and his mom. They were waiting for a moment with the person guarding them was not paying attention. As soon as the security officer turned her back William was given the signal.   
“Go.” The voice told him.   
He grabbed his mom’s hand and they moved quickly around the guards who were still distracted. According to their guides the quarantine areas were spread out which would leave them room to take back ways through the large airport. They moved quickly as if they belonged. It was eerie walking through the airport, which was now empty in most areas. The shops were all still open but without staff and the quiet made it so William could hear his own heartbeat loud in his ears.   
‘I am the son of brave people who are fighting to save us. I can do this. I can do this. I need to protect my mom. I can do this.’ William repeated these words to himself to stay brave but it was only working slightly.   
They knew based on the map and their own ears that they were headed near another quarantined area. The sound of people talking quietly found them as they neared another gate staying close to the walls.   
This group was different than the one they had just left. The sounds of coughing and moaning could be heard and William’s hair stood on end. He looked down at his hand that was still holding his mother’s and he wondered again if he had made the right choice. The sound of the voice in his ear brought him out of it and reminded him they were to far in at this point for second-guessing.   
“Looks like the people here are pretty sick already. This will make it easier to make your way around them without being found you’ll need to pretend to be part of the group to get around so you need to tell your mom to cover her mouth and nose as best as she can and to not touch anything.” He could tell that the person on the other end was not convinced that would actually do anything to prevent sickness but that it was mainly to comfort them into thinking they had control.   
“Ok William, right past these next few gates there will be a door marked ‘personnel only’ there will be a key card lock but since you got the best hackers etc. on your side it will open for you when you give the word. I’ll let you know when it is safe to run for it.   
The signal was given and they quickly made their way in and tried to blend into the group. It was not hard to do as many were sick and the rest were distracted. William tried to keep his eyes strait ahead and avoid looking at the sickness around him. His mom on the other hand was having a harder time disassociating. She looked with pity around her as she covered her mouth and nose with the top of her shirt. William could feel her slowing and he gave her hand a small squeeze and tug to let her know they needed to keep going.   
They passed the group with ease and as soon as they were out of dodge he saw the door they needed to enter.   
“We are at the door.” He said into the microphone on his headphone cord. Without a word from the other end the card slot’s light turned green and the door unlocked. William opened the door quickly and went in as his mother followed.   
“Good work kid. Now you need to follow the signs that lead you to the stairwell which you will walk down to get to the ground floor.”  
“Is there anyone back here?”   
“Not as far as we have seen but to be safe try to keep quiet.”  
They made their way through a maze of offices and different rooms to the stairwell.   
“We are at the stairs.” William said.   
“Alright head down and when you get to the ground level turn right. After that go into a room marked ‘conference room B’ the window in there is unlocked. Open it and you guys climb out. There should be a taxi waiting around there for you guys but the driver might be sick. Have you ever driven?”   
“A couple times just around the farm and on some dirt roads. Not in a city.”  
“Well depending on how your mom is feeling you might have to learn quick.”  
William and Leah made their way quickly down the stairs and William explained what was going on to her. The thought of her son driving in a city filled with people who were falling ill scared her and she said a silent prayer for God to keep her healthy at least until they reached the hospital.   
They found the room with ease and the window seemed big enough for both of them to slide out comfortably. William went first and then helped his mother through.   
“We are outside.” He informed his guardian angels.   
“Look around for the Taxi.”  
William told his mother to look as well and they scanned the area which was filled with cars. Finally a yellow taxi cap pulled up right in front of them.   
“You William and Leah?” The driver said followed by a cough.   
“Yeah. Are you feeling well enough to drive us to Our Lady of Sorrows?” William asked concerned with the man’s condition.   
“Yeah I can make it. I should probably be there anyways right? Considering how bad this thing is getting. Get in.” He motioned to the back seat.   
William had never been in a cab and under normal circumstances this chance would have excited him but now he felt a sense of despair as they drove through the mess of parked cars and sick people. There were times when the cabby did things that were obviously illegal in order to get through a crowded area. William wondered how much the Gunmen had told him.   
He glanced at his mother who had her head against the window and her eyes shut. He could see a thin layer of sweat forming on her face and her face had grown slightly pale. He fought back the feeling of panic and instead just looked ahead imagining what could happen when they arrived. 

The scene at the hospital was one filled with chaos. On the ride his cell finally lost signal due to heavy phone traffic in the area. He knew this might happen but he figured it was ok now because they were almost where they needed to be.   
People were everywhere and all of them seemed to be in need of medical attention. When they entered they noticed that even the staff was getting sick and worn down. There were some in the lobby waiting who were not moving and William tried not to think about the possibility that they were not just sleeping.   
They finally found a nurse who was helping a very sick child.   
“Excuse me, I need to find Dr. Scully it is an emergency.” Even as the words came out of his mouth William realized how stupid that sounded in the face of all of this.   
The nurse did not take her face away from the child but replied, “Oh well if it is an emergency… Can you not see that every person in here is having an emergency?!”   
“I am her son. I need to see her.” This caused the nurse to pause and look at him for a moment. It seemed she couldn’t decide if he was telling the truth but in the end exhaustion won out.   
“Down the hall that way in the lab.” She pointed to a hall to her left.   
Will slipped his arm under his ever-worsening mother and they weakly made their way to the lab.   
When they entered the lab Dr. Scully was nowhere in sight. Instead another redhead was standing at a counter with an IV in her arm working on something that looked important. There were other doctors that were sitting on tables across from her that had IVs in them as well. William stopped and looked around.   
The woman looked at him, “You’re not supposed to be in here. You need to go outside and wait with everyone else. Everything will be alright soon.” She began to move them out the door.   
“Wait! I am looking for Dr. Scully. It is a long story but all you need to know is that I am her son. I need to find her.” He pleaded with the agent trying to convey the desperation of the circumstance.   
She looked at him seriously, “Her son? She did not say she had a son.”   
“I was given up for adoption. The important thing is that we share DNA and I can help.”   
“Ok well I don’t have many options I guess.” She looked up at Leah, “Is this your mom?”   
Will looked up at his mom who looked like she would fall over at any minute he nodded and the woman helped him to take hold of her and bring her to lay down on a metal table dragging her IV with her the whole time.   
“Agent Scully left to go and find her partner I have an idea where she went. I tried to contact my partner, who is with hers, but my cell would not work.”  
“How do you know then?”   
“She mentioned it vaguely before she left but that is really all I have for you.”   
“I don’t even know if I could get there anyways. My mom is too sick to drive.”  
The agent looked around and saw that one of the doctors appeared to be doing better. She went to him and spoke softly for a moment before turning to call William over.   
“This is Dr. Sharp he will try to get you where you are going.”   
The man just nodded at William. The red haired agent grabbed some paper and scribbled out what he assumed were directions and handed Dr. Sharp the paper.   
“Take him there. If you find Dr. Scully tell her the treatment is working but we need more DNA.”   
The man just nodded still seeming slightly out of it. Despite his state of health the doctor gently took William by the arm and led him out of the room. On his way out he cried to the Agent desperately, “Take care of my mom please! I need her.”   
The agent just nodded in response and went to care for the now unconscious Leah Van De Kamp. 

Dr. Sharp thought seemingly quiet and reserved drove like a mad man in traffic. He drove fast down alleyways and sidewalks honking his horn almost constantly. People jumped out of his way but he appeared not to notice.   
William studied the man curiously, “Why are you helping me?” He asked genuinely.  
Without looking away from the road the doctor answered, “Because there is a lot at stake here and I trust Dr. Scully. Her treatment seems to be working but we need more. You may be the key to that.”   
“Aren’t you needed at the hospital?”  
“I will not be of much use until we have more of the cure.” He finally stopped the car after going as far as he could.   
William looked down a long bridge filled with cars and panicking people. He would never find her here.   
But then he felt it, a pull on him. It was as if an invisible force had grabbed his hand and was leading him to where he needed to go. Dr. Sharp followed behind as William ran with this invisible guide.   
He ran for a long time dodging people as he went until he saw her. She was bent down next to a car and appeared to be talking to someone. There was a man next to her who looked sick and anxious. She stood up and pulled the young man aside and talked to him. She seemed very disturbed by something and William felt the silent tug once again. He started to get nearer to her when a loud noise came from overhead and a bright light shined down from the sky right on to his mother.   
Will looked up into the sky to see a giant triangle shaped spacecraft hovering over the bridge. He found that he was not afraid. He was not sure why but a sense of calm came over him and he stopped to see what would happen. Everyone on the bridge seemed to be holding their breath and then everything went still


	10. Silence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Understand that I know very little about stem cell research and transplants. From what I have learned I know it is a process that takes a lot of outside influences and a lot of time but for the sake of the story please understand that I am going to simplify the procedure by about 90% because I am a phycology major and not pre med. Thank you!

Disclaimer: I do not own X Files. If I did the mythology would all flow better (Hopefully? Maybe I am being prideful.)

Silence 

The bridge that had just been bursting with life was still. The light was still shining on Scully but William could tell that she was not affected by the sudden stillness that overtook everything else and neither was he.   
He turned around to look at Dr. Sharp who also appeared unaffected. William wanted to run to her but he was afraid. She seemed to be in a trance looking into the light and he did not want to break that. He waited a few moments till he couldn’t anymore and sprinted toward her.   
As soon as he moved her head snapped in his direction. He could tell she knew right away who he was. She turned to face him with her mouth hanging open. He ran right to her and without a thought ran into her arms. His arms were around her back and he suddenly felt like crying. He could tell she was still in shock as she slowly put her arms around him. He was almost as tall as her and he knew that they would probably be the same height if not for her heels. His head rested on her shoulder as they both stood there for a moment trying to process the situation.   
She suddenly took both her hands and put them on either side of his face. She pulled his head back so she could look at him. William could see that she had been crying and it made his eyes prickle even more.   
“You have your father’s eyes.” She said almost breaking but before she could she seemed to come back to reality. The reality was that everything and everyone around them was frozen. It was as if time itself had stopped. She turned suddenly to the car next to them and went to the man in the passenger seat never letting go of William’s hand as if she were afraid he would disappear if she did.   
She crouched down next to him. His bloodshot eyes were open and some sort of alien spacecraft occupied looking at the sky that just a few minutes before.   
He heard a sob catch in her throat as she put her hand on his cheek. William recognized the man as his father, Fox Mulder. He was so beaten up and looked close to death.   
Not removing her free hand from Mulder’s cheek she turned to William.   
“I need something very big of you. It will be painful and you can say no if you want to but I need to harvest some of your stem cells.” She paused as if to see if he had a reaction but continued at his silence, “This man is your biological father and he is dying. The only thing that will be able to save him now is a stem cell transplant and you are the only person who can provide that.”   
William understood the process of a stem cell transplant but he didn’t even have to think about his answer, “Of course.” He said without question.   
She then noticed Dr. Sharp who had been standing to the side casually just observing.   
Scully got back to her feet, “Don, how are you…?” She didn’t finish and William could tell it was because she was putting it all together.   
“Did Agent Einstein give you the cure at the hospital?” She asked.   
“Yes she did. She was administering it to other doctors and nurses as well when we left. She asked me to drive your son to you.” He said.   
She suddenly moved forward and hugged him with one arm as the other was attached to the hand that was holding on to William.   
“Thank you.” She said softly and pulled away.   
“What do you think is happening?” William asked her.   
Before she answered she pulled him in close against her and ran her his head, “I think that only the people with Alien DNA are able to move right now and the rest are frozen. I have no idea why but I have a feeling that someone somewhere is giving us a head start. We need to get back to the hospital and make more of the Alien solution and harvest William’s stem cells.” She said seriously.   
Both William and the doctor nodded.   
“We should take Mulder.” William said hopefully.   
“I don’t know how we can.” She shook her head as if to remind herself of this very fact, “I will come back for him. Right now we need to move it.”  
Scully picked up two IV bags that she had put on the ground earlier and moved them to Mulder’s lap.  
Then the band of three made their way quickly back to the car she had been driving which was closer to the end of the bridge. They got in and headed on their way. 

The drive back to the hospital was much less confusing and crazy since no one else was moving. William’s birth mother drove quickly and smoothly through the parked cars and only had to consider her path when an unmoving pedestrian was in her way. They pulled up to the hospital and William was unsure of how much time had passed. It appeared that the clocks had stopped telling time that, he surmised, must mean that time had stopped.   
The rational part of his brain rejected this but could not think of any better explanation. They got out of the car and ran toward the hospital. Scully only stopped to reach out her hand for William.   
When they came in they noticed that some of the medical staff was indeed moving and looking healthy. There were three in the lobby that seemed to be taking the quiet opportunity to get a real look at their patients without all of the chaos. Of course they didn’t totally understand that there was nothing they could do for them except wait on the Alien DNA.   
They entered the lab to find the agent that William had met Agent Einstein. She seemed optimistic but confused. They were apparently able to make quite a bit more of the antidote but they all did not understand the frozen patients around them. Scully could not it either but encouraged them to continue working until time restarted. She told the agent that she believed someone was giving them time to save the people who did not have the DNA to keep them safe. William could tell Agent Einstein didn’t believe a word she said but she did not question the older woman about it.   
Scully bent down in front of William, “I am going to need to go out on to the bridge so I can make sure that the emergency personnel get the cure as well as any police officers so that they can direct people to the hospital. I am also going to bring Agent Mulder back. If you are willing Agent Einstein would be able to start a stem cell transplant while I am gone and have it nearly ready by the time we get back.” He could tell she was genuine about not wanting to force him to have the procedure done.   
“I want to do it. I’m ready but I want to see my mom first.” William said looking at Agent Einstein.   
“Alright. She is still on the mend follow me.”   
William put his arms around Scully’s neck.   
“Thank you.” He said and followed after the agent.   
Leah Van De Kamp had woken up confused and concerned. She was reassured by the doctors and the agent there that her son was all right and currently with a doctor searching for Agent Scully but Leah could not help the panic she felt at not knowing where he was.   
She still found that every muscle in her body was filled with pain but the dizziness and sharp pain in her head had gone away. That and she was conscious. She noticed that some of the doctors and nurses who had been sick recovered much quicker than others. She wondered if this had to do with how long the person had been sick or how bad their sickness was. All she knew was that after an hour she was still feeling pretty awful.   
Her heart lept when William entered the room where she was sitting and trying to read and ran to her,   
“Mom!”  
He hugged her from where sat and she felt tears on her face.   
“What happened Will? Did you find her?” She asked.   
“Yeah I did but she had to go back out to help other people. There is one thing that I need to do.”  
William explained the procedure and the nesscity of it and begged his mom with his eyes to give permission. She had doubts about all of this. She wondered why it was happening all of a sudden and she was afraid of the risks involved in the transplant. Leah had not even met his birth mother yet and she was supposed to take this all on good faith? She told him she needed a few minutes to think it over.   
William sat down next to her.   
“When we got there everyone was sick except for her. But then the coolest thing ever happened, something appeared in the sky over the bridge. It looked like a space ship! It was hovering over us but shined a light right down on to her. That is when everything stopped! It was so weird. She thinks that someone powerful is looking out for us but she does not know who. We don’t know how far spread it is or if it will last.”  
“God is watching out for us William.” She said confidently as she ruffled his hair.   
“I know but this was different mom. It was a space ship in the air. I saw it!”   
“He works in mysterious ways.”  
It was not that William didn’t believe in God but if it were God saving them why would He have to use a space craft to do it? It seemed more likely that these were aliens or very powerful people.   
It had been a couple minutes with no answer from his mother and William began to get nervous.  
“I saw my birth father, the one who needs my stem cells. He was frozen like the rest of them. He was so sick mom. If his eyes were not open I would have thought he was dead. She didn’t want to leave him. I know it is all sudden and crazy and that you don’t know if you can trust all of these people but please trust me. If the only way to save him is with this isn’t that worth it?” He said.   
“Yes of course it is worth it but that is not what I am worried about. What if you are being used William? What if these people are not who they say they are?”  
“I know it is her. I know they are my biological parents because they are the same people from my dreams.”   
Leah sighed. She knew that allowing this procedure was the right decision but something in her didn’t want this. She wondered about herself and thought that maybe the problem was that she was not really as ready to share William as she thought she had been. Not that she would allow a man to die but perhaps all of these thoughts were coming from the fear that she was not enough for him. She had understood his whole life that he would have a connection to his birth mother that was different than his connection with her. Was she ready to watch another woman act as a mother to her son? These were questions for another time.   
She looked at her son, “Call in the doctor I’ll sign whatever she needs me to sign.”   
William hugged her and ran out of the room.


	11. Procedure

Disclaimer: I don't own the X Files

Procedure 

An hour later Leah sat in a wheel chair just outside the room where Will was getting worked on. She was not sure how long it would take but Agent Einstein had informed her that due to the lack of doctors and staff along with the great need it would take longer than usual. However the young red headed agent would be in the room herself, which still did little to calm her fears.   
The doctors had begun to give the ‘cure’ to the children but it was slow going. The doctors all seemed to be up and feeling better giving a spark of hope to the sick, most of whom were too sick to do much.   
William had been in the procedure for around forty-five minutes when the commotion started. The doctors and nurses began to clear people out of the way to make an aisle for a group of the sick who were all being brought inside. On the first stretcher was a pregnant woman who appeared to be going into labor and was hooked up to an IV that contained the cure. Leah watched in amazement as more stretchers followed behind that had others that seemed in very desperate need. Most were again children who seemed on death’s door.   
A young man in a suit ran into the hallway where Leah was sitting and looked around and then down at her.   
“Have you seen an Agent Einstein anywhere?” He seemed rushed and still slightly sick.   
“She is in there operating on my son.” She pointed to the room behind her.   
The agent paused and looked at her for a moment before going to the door and sticking his head in, “He’s here where do you want him?”  
She heard a mumbled reply and the man just ran in the other direction and then almost immediately was followed my two more men carrying a stretcher that held a man who Leah would have thought to be already dead if it were not for the nurse running beside them puffing air into him.   
They took the man right into the room where William was and Leah knew that it must have been Fox Mulder, William’s biological father. She panicked for a moment and looked around to see if Dr. Scully was anywhere near when she heard an authoritative female voice shouting orders,  
“I need you to take Assistant Director Skinner right over to Dr. Vega to be hooked up to an IV! ... Rebecca this child needs attention right away where is his mother?” The woman continued giving directions as she came into Leah’s field of vision. Leah did not need to know what Agent Scully looked like to know right away that she was the woman tying her hair into a surgical cap and walking quickly down the hall toward William’s room. She did not look anywhere but the door and moved past Leah so quickly that there was a strong breeze left in her wake.   
Leah’s curiosity finally got the better of her and she stood up to look through the window on the door.   
William laid on one bed asleep and just a few feet away his father lay looking worse by the minute. Agent Mulder was now hooked up to the IV and at his side was Dr. Scully who seemed to be saying something to him. She held his face in her hands for a moment, kissed his forehead, and then got to work. All of the procedure went over Leah’s head and after standing for a few minutes at the door she began to feel light headed. She sat down and found that her eyes were heavy she fought sleep for a bit but finally gave in knowing that the next days ahead would be some like she had never experienced. 

When Leah woke up she had been wheeled into a small hospital room that held two beds. She was against the wall with a couple pillows stacked between her head and it and a blanket was around her shoulders. In the closest bed to her lay her son who was soundly asleep with an IV in his arm. In the bed a few feet away lay Fox Mulder who was in much worse shape. He had a tube under his nose feeding him extra oxygen and the beeping in the room told her that he was being monitored.   
She rolled up closer to William’s bedside where she sat and watched him breathe for some time. She looked across at the man on the other side of the room. She could not tell much about his features because bruises covered his face but she wondered what she would see when the man finally woke up and was healthy. Does her son look like him? It was something she had wondered about often and had tried to picture the couple that had created such a perfect boy.   
The door opened and a distracted Dr. Scully stood at the doorway peering at a chart in her hand she turned out the door again and said something to a person behind her and came back in with no chart. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Leah.   
“Hello.” She said tentatively.   
Leah could tell that the woman was nervous of what she would think of her so she smiled reassuringly at her.   
“You’re Dana Scully.” She stated rather than asked.   
“Yes I am.” She said seeming to suddenly come to her senses she shook her head for a second and then approached and held out her hand kindly. “Thank you.” She said.   
Leah looked into her face and saw a wet sheen over her eyes as she continued, “Thank you for raising him and loving him. I have not spent much time with him yet but I am just so happy he is alive with someone who loves him. I… I can’t even tell you how grateful I am that you allowed us to use his stem cells. There is no way I can ever repay your kindness for letting me meet him and for saving Mulder.”   
“You don’t have to ‘repay’ anything Dana. There is nothing to repay. Both of you gave me the greatest gift I could ever hope for and I am just beginning to repay you.”  
She looked over at Agent Mulder and said. “One moment.” Before going over to his bedside to look him over.   
She gently ran her hand over his head looking for signs of any trouble. She felt at his throat and his wrist as if she didn’t trust the machine to tell the truth about his condition. She paused for a moment and just looked at him and once she was satisfied that he was not in imminent danger she walked over to the wall behind Leah and pulled up a chair next to her.   
“Do you mind?” She asked.   
“No please.”  
They sat in silence watching the two infers before them.   
Leah broke the silence, “How long have I been out?”  
“It has been about twelve hours I believe. I don’t know when exactly you fell asleep but you were out for a very long time. I even tried to wake you to move you to a more comfortable place but obviously you needed the rest.”   
There was then another pause that was filled by Scully this time, “How did the two of you get here?”   
“Well… That is a very very long story. One that before my husband died I never would have gone along with but… Well I suppose when it all started it seemed to make sense.” Leah knew she was sounding cryptic which was unintentional but she was not sure how to start, “William has been different his whole life but I doubt that comes as too much of a surprise to you based on what I know. He is mostly a normal boy but every now and then something strange and amazing will happen and… I don’t know how to describe the things that happen. They are so small that if you were not paying attention you might miss it. He healed our dog’s broken leg when he was just four, which was the first time we truly knew he wasn’t just ‘strange’ but was indeed ‘special’. Since then he has shown that he can sometimes move things with his mind depending on his mood. There are times when he seems to know exactly what I am thinking and when he looks at me it is like I am talking to an old man rather than a child. But he plays sports and video games and he scrapes his knees and yells and slams his door like all other teenage boys.”  
She shifted in her chair unsure of what to say next,   
“Since he was young William has had a photographic memory and a vivid imagination.”   
She stopped when Scully let out a small laugh to herself. Leah looked at her curiously.   
“Sorry that just sounds… it sound exactly like Mulder who is the same way.”  
Scully smiled warmly at her lap as if hearing of the attributes the boy had inherited from his father were balm to her soul.   
Leah smiled and continued, “He would also have dreams that were so vivid that when he was young he would wake up disorientated and confused every day. Most dreams were just… dreams but when he started into puberty he began to have more nightmares. All of the same stuff about evil men coming to get him and take him away. He could never tell us much about it afterward. Within the last year he has been able to recall many dreams in great detail and he had come to believe that they all held significance. The turning point was when he began to dream about a woman with red hair.”   
In the side of her vision she saw Scully stiffen slightly,   
“He came to understand that she was his birth mother. William believed that the things he was dreaming about were memories and even some visions of you before he knew you. It all sounds so strange but he knew so many details. He changed I could tell that he truly believed these were memories and that they were being shown to him for a reason. There were other people in the dreams but they were all out of focus till only about a week ago. Up until then the only person he could really see was you. He would sit at the table and tell me stories from when he was a baby as if it had happened yesterday. A few days before we came to D.C. he had a dream that, for the first time, contained his father in detail as well. He began to have dreams about the two of you independent of him and he really believed that they were visions.”   
She paused for a moment to see if she sounded crazy but just found Scully looking at her intently so she went on,   
“Whenever William has some sort of idea he cannot let it go. He obsesses on it and works on it and sometimes does not sleep for days.” Leah gave a small laugh and decided to share a memory, “When he was in forth grade he was assigned a project that told him to choose a great mystery and to pretend to be a detective investigating like Sherlock Holmes. He chose the supposed alien crash in Roswell New Mexico.”   
Scully let out a full laugh but just gestured for Leah to continue,   
“Well he is such a smart boy and I don’t think he understood that this was not an in-depth study to discover the mystery but rather a cute project to help them understand the book they were reading in class. He borrowed stacks of books from the library and spent hours on the computer and begged us to take him to Roswell. We ended up having to sort through the piles of information he’d gathered and found the little that was needed for his project. The odd part is that he only got a ‘c’ on the project which I think is mostly due to all the distraction the topic brought.”   
“So like his father.” Scully murmured with a smile at her lap. She looked up looking like she mean to say that out loud, “Like Mulder I mean.” She then looked back at her hands.   
Leah reached out and put her hand over Sully’s.   
“I know what you mean.” Leah took a moment to remember what she was saying, “All of this to say that his latest obsession has been finding you. He somehow got in contact with some friends of yours here in D.C. who we were going to meet with when we arrived but when we got here the airport was on lock down.”  
“What friends of ours?”  
“They call themselves the lone gunmen?” Leah said more as a question.   
Scully let out a dry laugh, “Of course. I assume they helped you to get out of the airport?”  
“Yes and led us to you.”  
“Well… This is all amazing.” Scully was at a loss for words.   
There was another comfortable silence in the room until a groan came from Mulder. Scully was on her feet in a second and at his side.   
His eyes were part way open and he seemed to be saying something, or at least trying to. Scully just nodded to him as if she were listening to a small child and continued checking his vitals and making sure he was comfortable.   
She put her hand to his cheek and leaned in close and whispered something to him. She pulled back and kissed his forehead. She stood there for a moment just looking at him as he fell back asleep and then she moved back to where she was.   
“How is he?” Leah asked.   
“He will live. He just likes to be difficult when he gets hurt. He wants to get up already but he can barely keep his eyes open.”  
“Does he know what happened?”  
“I am not sure how much he knows. I doubt he will remember much of anything. He just hates staying still when he knows there are things going on.”  
That reminded Leah of the current situation outside the room, “How are things out there?”   
Scully shook her head, “Stable here. Some get better very quickly while others still seem rather sick and we don’t know why that is. As far as the city and country goes I don’t know. Most lines of communication are down. I was able to get half a call out on my cell phone but most people can’t. We have been sending teams of the healthy into the city to deliver the cure to different hospitals and crowded areas. I would still be helping produce more of the cure but they are beginning to make the doctors take mandatory breaks.”  
Leah took inventory of the woman next to her who on first look appeared fine but as she really looked she saw dark bags under her eyes and could see a slight sag in her shoulders from exhaustion, “Shouldn’t you be sleeping?” She asked concerned.  
“I’m going to sleep soon I just needed to see them or else I would not get a second of rest.”  
Scully’s eyes rested on the beds in front of them tiredly and the look on her face made Leah believe that she wished they would wake and be healed simply from her being there.   
Scully sighed and vacated her seat again.   
“I am going to lay down. There will be someone checking in every half hour but don’t be afraid to push the call button if anything happens.”   
She headed toward the door but stopped just short and turned to look at Leah, “And thank you.” She disappeared before Leah could ask for what.


	12. Scully

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a little different not looking at William and his mom but at Scully. She has always been my muse. It is mostly just all background on “My Struggle II” basically just all of the things that day that lead up to Scully reuniting with William. Enjoy!!!

Disclaimer: X Files is not mine

Scully

 

Agent Scully had seen her share of unusual, amazing, crazy, and emotional days but she could think of none that topped the one she was having.   
The morning had started off relatively normal. She and Mulder had been working things out and she was happy. She had even stayed the night in their little house but left around 6 to get go back to her own apartment and get ready.   
The day began to get strange when she arrived at work to find the parking garage closed and then continued when she didn’t find Mulder in the basement.   
Tad O’Malley’s phone call did nothing to reassure her and she rushed back over to the home she had shared with Mulder for years.   
When she walked in the place had been tossed and she looked around confused. Just a few hours ago she had been there and, while it had been a mess, it was not the destruction she saw before her.   
Tad O’Malley explained his theories about alien DNA that Scully pushed aside in her mind as concern for Mulder overwhelmed her. She wondered if he had not told her about all of this because he was worried she would doubt him. While things had been much better between the two of them she knew Mulder was stepping carefully and holding back.   
Dana had not fooled herself into believing that after a year of separation things would be perfect right away but this hurt her. The two most likely scenarios were either Mulder trashed the place himself looking for something and then took off or that someone had come and taken him. Scully was not sure what option was more disheartening to her.   
As her and Agent Einstein made their way to the hospital her mind was filled with worried thoughts of Mulder.   
Just the night before he had made promises about so many things to her. Promising that things would be different and that he was doing better. He talked about the trust he had in her and their partnership and they had spent most of the night in each other’s arms in a way they had not done in so long. Scully was not sure if she felt more anger or concern toward Mulder at this point but she had decided to stay with anger because it was easier to deal with than any thoughts that something had happened to him.   
What they found at the hospital threw her and the younger agent for a loop and the situation demanded their attention. As soon as Scully realized the enormity of the situation she knew that her attention would need to be diverted from finding Mulder to trying to prevent the happening outbreak. She relied on Agent Miller to find Mulder having little hope that his search would be fruitful, Mulder was good at hiding.  
More questions were raised in the coming hours and she wished desperately that Mulder were there with whatever information he knew.   
Monica’s information, while helpful, filled Scully with despair. The woman who delivered her son who at one point Scully had thought of as a sister joined forces with the devil himself.   
As she made her way back to the hospital the part of her memories that she kept walled off started to slowly make its way to the forefront. Her son, William. Seeing Monica brought back many memories of her lost baby and for a few moments remembering her son she was filled with panic. She couldn’t protect him from what was coming and the thought of him dying from a painful disease was too much to bear. It was the realization that her own alien DNA had been passed to him, therefore protecting him, that helped to calm her heart and refocus on the task at hand.   
The hours ahead were stressful and Scully could see that every minute Agent Einstein was growing weaker. She tried to push the thoughts of the people out in the hall out of her mind but it was no use because they were just replaced with thoughts of Mulder and their son or her brothers and their families.   
Dana could feel the burden of all of the lives in her hands but every moment and thought made her fight harder to find the cure for the Spartan virus.   
The time came when Agent Einstein could no longer work and it became Scully’s mission alone. She fought the urge to rush knowing how delicate and important this vaccine was. Getting the call from Agent Miller had given her more momentum. Mulder was alive, he was in bad shape, but he was alive. She focused her thoughts on him as she finished the fluid that would save humanity.   
After getting Einstein stable and making sure she understood what needed to happen next she grabbed two IVs filled with the vaccine and ran. The journey to the bridge was all a blur. She looked back at it and knew she could have gotten in an accident or hit a bystander at any point but in the moment she couldn’t think of anything except for getting the cure to Mulder.   
Arriving to the spot where Miller and Mulder had parked themselves brought nothing but more despair. She looked into Mulder’s face and knew he was going to die.   
How many times had she had that exact thought though? There had been many times she was convinced Mulder was going to die and he lived. So many times where it seemed that all hope was lost but he pulled through. Stranger things had happened to them.   
Don’t give up.  
She made promises to him that he would get better despite not knowing if she could keep them.   
As soon as she saw him it became abundantly clear that the only way to save him was by a stem cell transplant. William. As she explained the situation to Agent Miller she could see the gears spinning in his mind, attempting to think of a plan despite the fact that he himself was dying.   
The sound was the first thing that brought her attention to the spacecraft above them. It was exactly like the one Mulder had told her about seeing. It hovered over the bridge ominously and shined down one solitary beam of light onto her.   
She didn’t notice that all other movement had stopped until she caught movement out of the corner of her eye.   
Turning she saw a teenage boy running toward her. He was tall and gangly with light brown hair that hung around his face in an awkward teenage haircut.   
Before she understood what was happening her heart leapt and she just knew.   
William.   
It was her baby. The piece of her heart that she had given up so many years ago.   
Before she could react to any of this his body hit hers and nearly knocked the wind out of her. She felt his arms around her and heard slight sniffles from his head, which rested on her shoulder. She reacted on instinct and pulled him in close. She smelled him and realized she still recognized his scent in a small way. Maybe it was her mind playing tricks on her but she was convinced he smelled the same. Not the smell of the newborn baby that he had when she last saw him but the unique smell that each person carries.   
She wanted to see him. She pulled him back and held his face in her hands. Looking back at her were the chameleon eyes of her partner and lover, Mulder. These eyes were much younger, though; more reminiscent of when she had first met Mulder. Her heart was full and for a few moments everything seemed right.


	13. The Dream Life

Disclaimer: The X Files do not belong to me. 

The Dream Life

Dana Scully paced her living room while rocking her newborn son in her arms. She was on edge and sang softly to her son to keep herself calm.   
There was a knock at the door. She looked through the peephole to see Langly on the other side holding luggage.   
She let him in and he carried his load into the living room and was followed by his colleges (if you can call them that) Frohike and Byers, all carrying luggage and boxes.   
Frohike wheeled in behind him a cart with a fish tank on it still filled with water and fish. Scully wondered how in the world they could have transported it but didn’t question them.   
“Hey Scully.” Langly said carefully as they all stood there wondering what was next.   
“Thank you guys for helping out.” She said softly.   
The baby began to squirm in her arms and the three men lit up and gathered a little closer to look at the child that was never meant to be.   
They were distracted by the baby when Mulder entered the room carrying the rest of his things. He made eye contact with Scully looking at her sadly. The guys then turned to see him. He sat down his things and moved toward them.   
“I don’t know how to thank you guys for coming out so late and helping.” Mulder said to them looking morose.   
“Anytime. You know we are always here.” Frohike said looking at his friend seriously.   
Byers spoke up and handed him an envelope and a key, “These will get you to Chicago. When you get off the bus there go to this security box which will have directions on where to go next along with tickets to three different locations with maps and safe spots. In the envelope is a list of numbers of people we trust.”   
“Thank you.” Mulder said taking the envelope and key from Byers.   
“Godspeed old friend. You know how to contact us if you need anything else.” Frohike said.   
Mulder gave each man a hug. Frohike held on to the point where Mulder pushed him off laughing.   
He led them out the door to the hallway giving Scully a nod holding up his finger to tell her he would be right back.   
He led the men out and told them one last thing, “Listen I need you guys to look after Scully and the baby. I know she can handle herself but… but I just need to know they are protected.”   
“We’ll die before anything happens to them. Don’t worry just look after yourself.” Langly said seriously.   
The three men then turned and left. Mulder watched them go for a moment and turned back into the apartment.   
He closed the door and turned to Scully who stood just staring at him holding their son with tears in her eyes.   
He moved toward her and pulled her close with William sandwiched between them. She laid her head on his chest and cried softly.   
“Do you really have to go?” She said sniffling.   
“It’s what’s best to keep us all safe. But I’m not sure I can do it” He felt tears running down his own face and landing in her hair. He kissed the top of her head and pulled back slightly laying kisses on her forehead and nose and then small kisses on her tear tracks and finally a small one on her lips. He rested his forehead on hers and looked at her trying to memorize her face.   
“Everything will be fine. I’ll find out who is behind these threats and come home.” As he comforted her he held the back of her head.   
“How long will that take? It could be months and how am I supposed to get in contact with you?”   
“I wrote up instructions but it’s only for emergencies. If anything happens, if you need me, I will be here in no time.” He told her seriously.   
She moved away, “While you were getting your things I went out to the 24 hour photo place and printed a couple pictures from the last few days. She moved into the bedroom and laid the sleeping baby in the bassinet and picked up an envelope from the bed handing it to Mulder.   
He opened it up to see a photo taken the night before of him holding William. The envelope also contained pictures of William by himself and with Scully. He felt more tears make their way down his face and he pulled Scully closer to him and held her close.   
He cold feel her slumping in his arms and realized how exhausted she must be. He moved her toward the bed and covered.: her with a blanket he went around to the other side and joined her under the blanket and wrapped himself around her.   
“Mulder I don’t want to fall asleep.” She said groggily.   
He gave a small laugh, “You need to sleep Scully. I doubt he is going to give you many other opportunities to catch up.”   
“No I need to stay awake…” Her voice was softer and he could tell she was about to sleep.   
“I know.” He whispered into her hair.   
“Don’t go Mulder… We need you… I love…” She finally fell asleep.   
Mulder smiled into her hair, “I love you too.”

Scully woke up from her sleep disoriented and couldn’t place where she was. She knew she wasn’t in her old apartment bedroom with Mulder and baby William. She must have been dreaming her memories and for the first few minutes of consciousness she longed to go back to that time.   
She slowly realized that she was lying on a cot in the hospital break room. She was desperate to go back to her dream and forget about what lay outside the room. She knew she needed to get up and give another doctor a chance to rest but her body still felt drained of energy and she had not even gotten sick. She pulled herself up and sat for a moment preparing herself for the chaos of what was to come.   
Scully wanted to stop in and check on William and Mulder before she went to take her post.   
They were in the same condition as when she last saw them but there appeared to be more color on Mulder’s face, which was encouraging. She would be angry with him when he got well, right now she was just happy he was alive. William looked the same just tired. She wanted to go over to him but didn’t know if he or his mom were comfortable with that so she stayed back.   
She looked to Leah who sat slumped in her wheel chair asleep. She looked worse than she had a couple hours ago. The rings under her eyes were darker along with her skin being white as a sheet. She could also see a thin sheen of sweat covering her face and could tell that her hair was damp from it.   
Concern filled Scully and she went over to her and put a hand to her forehead. Her skin was on fire. It made no sense. Leah had the cure and had been doing better but she appeared to be sick again.   
Leah moved under her hand and opened her eyes, “Dana?” She croaked.   
Scully could tell that Leah’s throat was scratchy and she went to the pitcher of water and poured her a cup of it. Leah could barely lift the cup to her lips. She seemed confused by her surroundings and Scully’s heart was gripped with fear.   
“I’m going to get you a bed and some fluids. Just hang on I will be right back.” Scully said.   
Leah nodded weakly but Scully was not convinced the woman understood what she said. In the main part of the hospital chaos still reigned. But this chaos was different than before. It was quiet. Patients and doctors moved around the room fast and coughing and sneezing could be heard but everyone was so quiet. Scully wondered why when she noticed that along the wall was a line of five bodies. All five were dead. They were all people in their middle age, which was odd.   
“What happened?” Scully asked as she approached Agent Einstein.   
“I really don’t know. Everyone was feeling better and then all of a sudden a few became ill again. But there is no pattern to who is sick. At least not one that I have found.” Scully could tell she was tired and at the end of her rope.  
“How long have they been dead?”  
“The first one died about an hour ago and the rest followed pretty quickly. We have another man close to death but he is in his twenties and the rest have been middle aged or older.”  
“Can I see his chart.” The agent flipped through the stack of files in her arms and landed on one with the name Ray Lawson.   
He was 25 and appeared healthy besides the normal broken bone here or there. But then Scully came across a part of his chart that mentioned that he is infertile from a childhood illness.   
She looked to the dead and began to put it together. Of course the people who created this wanted a failsafe and that failsafe was to get rid of anyone they considered nonessential.   
But she looked around and saw others past childbearing age that seemed fine.  
“It seems at first like the people who are dying are people unable to reproduce but there are others who are too old and are healthy… Do you know anything else about this man?”   
“His wife is over there.” She said and pointed to a young woman who appeared despondent but healthy.   
“Thank you. Agent I insist you take a break now you look exhausted.”  
“Agent Scully I am fine I can keep-“   
“No. Less than 24 hours ago you were dying. Regardless of how you are feeling now your body needs rest.”   
Agent Einstein put her hand to her forehead and slid back her hair and Scully could see how exhausted she was.   
“Alright.” She finally said as she turned and headed for the cots. She seemed frustrated but Scully could tell she was also relieved.  
Scully set her sights on Mrs. Lawson. The woman was in her twenties with brown hair that fell around her shoulders. Her eyes and face were red and puffy from crying and she had many balled up tissues in her lap.  
Scully sat down next to her carefully, “Mrs. Lawson?”  
The woman didn’t look up, “Yes?”  
“I’m Dr. Scully. I am so sorry about your husband but I have a couple questions if you don’t mind.”  
“Yeah that’s fine.” She sniffled still not looking up.   
“What did your husband do for his career?”  
“He worked construction with his dad. He worked so hard. He… he was saving up so we could adopt a baby. Ray was unable to have children… we were so excited we even met an expectant mother who we were talking to.” She fell into sobs and Scully put her hand on the young woman’s back.   
“Does your husband have any other family?”  
“His parents live in Wisconsin. I haven’t been able to get into contact with them…. Who knows if they are even alive still!” Her shoulders shook, “Is there anything else? I need to lay down.”   
“No that is all thank you.”   
She moved away and went on to the other victim’s families to try to find a connection. Every victim, she discovered, had a blue-collar job. Jobs like house cleaning, landscaping, and Nanning. After the end of society all of those jobs would be considered less valuable to society as a whole.   
Scully also looked into a couple of the people who were healthy but over childbearing age. The three she talked to were two doctors and a police chief. Two careers that would be useful once things settle down.   
Leah Van De Kamp was a homemaker. While a hardworking woman she would not be considered essential by the powers that be. Scully felt frantic she knew that if she didn’t find a way to reverse this soon not only to prevent a significant loss of life but to save the mother of her son.   
She sighed and got to work.


	14. The Woman from his Dreams

Disclaimer: I do not own the X Files

The Woman from his Dreams

 

William woke up to the sound of monitors beeping steadily. He turned his head and saw two cots. In the one nearest him lay the man he had come to understand was his father, Fox Mulder. The man looked much better than when William had last seen him. There was color to his face and he appeared to be just resting.   
It worked! William thought excitedly.   
He was happy till he looked to the bed on the other side of the room. There lay his mother who was hooked up to a variety of machines. She was not breathing by herself and looked to be very sick again. It didn’t make sense to him. Last time he saw her she had been doing better but now here she was looking just as sick as before.   
William started to look around for his birth mother but she wasn’t in the room. He moved slowly to get up. The stiches on his shoulder hurt as he moved to get up but he couldn’t just lie there and do nothing. He walked over to his mom and looked at her face. It was pale and covered in legions. Her chest rose and fell with the respirator.   
William felt tears coming into his eyes but shook his head to stop them from falling. He needed to find Dr. Scully.   
He moved slowly out of the room taking it easy, as he was still pretty light headed. He could hear people talking down the hall and when he entered the large space at the end he saw the crowd that had been there the last time he came through. The one difference was that instead of being a crowd of sick and dying people they were all mostly confused. He could see more of the sick coming through the door as more of the healthy left. He assumed that the healthy ones had gotten the cure. There had to be many more places besides D.C. that had been hit.   
His mind drifted to his home town and a bubble of worry lodged itself in his stomach. He stopped those thoughts, though, because he did not have time. He spotted a nurse and asked for Dr. Scully. The man pointed him down the hall to the lab where William had been earlier.   
He entered to see his birth mother standing over a counter with many different scientific instruments in front of her. She seemed to be running multiple tests at once and also appeared stressed out by her current task.   
“Dr. Scully?” He said softly not wanting to startle her from her focus.   
“William.” She said turning and smiling. She moved across the room toward him quickly.   
She took his face in her hands and began giving him a look over. She examined his stiches and said, “You should not be out of bed. How are you feeling?”   
Her hands moved to his shoulders.   
His eyes began to fill with tears again before he could answer and he leaned forward into her arms.   
At first Scully was stiff and unprepared but she recovered quickly and held on to her son as if for dear life. She repeated the silent prayer she had been praying since she discovered that Leah was getting worse, God don’t take her from him.   
“Shhhhh. It’s ok.” She ran her hand over his hair kissing the top of his head. He had light brown hair with a slight red tint, the exact shade of her brother Charlie’s hair.   
“She looks sick again! But other people seem fine! What is going on?” He asked through sobs. He, like any teenage boy, did not relish the thought of crying in front of anyone but standing with the woman he had seen in his dreams was too much. For months she had seemed real to him but as soon as he was awake she would be gone. Now that everything had slowed down he realized that she was real. She was actually standing there in front of him.   
The fact that his mom looked near death plus all of that and the pain he was in made William unable to stop crying.   
“I am working on finding out the reason now. William I will do anything possible to save your mom I promise. Right now we just have her on a lot of medicines to keep her going.”   
“How long does she have?” He looked up into her eyes and Scully was once again struck by how eerily similar his eyes were to Mulder’s. She debated on how honest she should be with him but as she looked at him she knew he would want the full truth. Just like his birth parents he expected full honesty, even if it was painful.   
“A few hours.” She said looking back at him sadly.   
“What can I do?”   
“You can go sit by her side. Talk to her. When people are trying to hold on to life like that they can hear you and they need to hear you so that they fight to live. I have seen amazing things happen when a person is motivated to live.”  
William nodded and Scully led him out the door with her arm around his shoulders. She walked him to the room and moved a chair near Leah’s bed.   
She looked to Mulder who lay sleeping but looking much better.   
In the past hours she had grown desperate. She needed to ask him something and he was not going to like it. She went to his bedside and put her hand to his forehead which was no longer covered in sweat. She moved her hand back into his hair and repeated the action a couple more times till he opened his eyes.   
He squinted against the light but when his eyes landed on her they lit up.  
“Scully.” He said softly. He began to try to sit up.   
“Whoa, no Mulder don’t move you are still healing.” Scully said gently pushing him back to lay down.   
Mulder took in the room. He looked behind Scully to see William sitting on the other side of Leah’s bed. He clutched Scully’s hand and looked up into her face with a silent question. The silent question.   
She nodded and smiled at him.   
“Give him a moment. I’ll explain everything but I have some questions.” Mulder waited for her to continue but his eyes were continually leaving her face to look at their son who was in his own world talking to his mother.   
“Mulder, you went to see the Smoking Man.” It was a statement rather than a question. Mulder just nodded to her slightly worried about her wrath.   
“Where did you find him?” Her question floored him. He looked up at her puzzled.   
“Why?” He asked.   
“I need to talk to him.”  
“No. Absolutely not.” Mulder said and began again to try to sit up.   
“Mulder stop moving. I need to find him and I can find out where he is from you or I can wait till Agent Miller returns and ask him but then I will just be losing time. I need to ask him how to save William’s mother.”   
Mulder turned and put together the pieces. He had been so distracted by seeing his son that he had hardly noticed the woman in the cot. She was close to death, Mulder could tell, but he was not going to tell Scully where to find the man who had caused all of this.   
“Scully you can’t go to him. He wouldn’t help anyways he is just as twisted as always. If not more so.”  
“Mulder I do not have a lot of other options here. I have been told he knows how all of this has come about which means he can save her.”  
“You have been told?”  
Scully sighed again picturing her old friend who had turned against them, “That is a long story for another time. Please Mulder you can tell me or not but I am going to find him.”  
“Then I’m going with you.”  
“No.”  
“Then I won’t tell you how to find him. If he is even still there. He could be long gone by now. Off to some secret paradise away from all of us mere mortals.”   
Scully dropped his hand and kissed his forehead and began to leave.   
“Scully! No wait!” Mulder started to get out of bed. By this time William was watching the interaction and began to get up as well.   
Scully looked exasperated and tired and stormed over to Mulder pulling him back into bed with minimal strength.   
“You are not strong enough to go anywhere.”  
“Then bring Miller with you.”   
Scully thought for a moment and realized that Mulder would not give up until she said yes.   
“Fine. I will bring him.”


	15. What William Heard

Disclaimer: I do not own the X Files. 

What William Heard

When Dana led him into the room William was taken aback again by the sight before him. His birth father lay sleeping and in the bed next to him his mother lay dying.   
He looked up to Scully and she nodded him toward Leah’s bed. Scully grabbed a chair and put it next to the cot and motioned for William to sit.   
Scully walked over to Mulder’s bed and woke him. They began to talk but William found himself unable to focus on anything but his mother. He was disturbed to see that she seemed to look worse than she had just a few minutes before.   
William remembered sitting next to a similar bed when his father was dying. His father had been sick for a long time; they had seen his death coming and Will had time to prepare himself. But this, this, was different. It was so sudden. He could feel it in the pit of his stomach as he looked at her.   
He had seen his father go; he knew death.   
“Mom, don’t go. Dana says that you can hear me and I believe it. You can’t be ready to go yet. I still need you! Please don’t leave yet. Dana is going to find a way to reverse this you just need to hold on and stay alive till then.” The commotion from Mulder’s bed broke him of his trance and he looked up to see them having a disagreement in heated whispers. He saw Scully begin to walk away and Mulder trying to get up after her.   
Will got to his feet intending to help him when Scully turned and sighed to see them both up. William sat down as she moved to Mulder to push him back into the bed.   
He watched them. He had wondered about his birth parents and they were nothing like he had imagined. It seemed like his life was out of a novel and amazingly it all felt right to him.   
They argued quietly for another minute and then seemed to come to an agreement. Mulder’s eyes were constantly on him and William knew that he must be amazed by the fact that he was there.   
Scully came to William and knelt on the floor in front of him.   
“I am going to go and try to find a way to make her well.” She took hold of his hands, “Please stay here in this room. Don’t let Mulder get out of bed. I will fix this.” William just nodded along. She leaned put her hand on the back of his head and moved it forward so she could lay a kiss on his forehead.   
She then got up and went to Mulder. She kissed his forehead as well and left the room without a glance back.   
The room was quiet for a moment as Mulder and William stared after her. Mulder’s head then turned to William who got up to go to the chair near Mulder’s bed.   
“So you’re William.” Mulder said with a hint of humor.   
William smiled widely, “Yep. You’re Fox.”  
“Yeah sorry about the middle name.”  
William laughed, “At least it isn’t my first.” Mulder smiled a huge grin and nodded.  
“I always wondered where my middle name came from. It seemed kind of random. My parents decided not to change my first or middle name when they got me. Mom said it was out of respect for my birth parents. I know they always wondered about the name too.”   
“Yeah I, myself, have often questioned the reason for my name. You’re birth mom was a little emotional when she filled out your birth certificate. She was feeling sentimental.”  
“Is my first name after someone?”  
“There is a long line of Williams on both sides actually. Although Scully specifically named you after my father as a gesture. Her dad was named William too and you have an uncle named William.”  
“Wow a lot of Williams. So I have biological grandparents? My grandparents have all died. I only knew two of them though.”   
Mulder’s face grew sad, “Both our parents are gone. Scully’s mom died just a few weeks ago. She… Maggie, your grandmother, grieved for you so much. Her last words were about you actually. All of Scully’s family except for her mom believed that you passed away from a sudden illness. She wanted no one to go looking for you even with good intentions.”  
William’s heart hurt a little to hear about the grandmother who apparently loved him so much. “What did she say about me?”  
“You mean her last words?” William nodded, “She grabbed my hand and said, ‘my son is named William too.’ Since she has a son who they call Bill. Scully thinks it was her mothers way of reminding her that you were still our responsibility.”  
William thought about this for a moment and batted back some tears. He knew he should go lay down but he was worried that if he closed his eyes his mother would be gone when they opened.   
He could tell that Mulder wanted to do something to comfort him but didn’t want to make William uncomfortable. He finally reached out his hand and took William’s.   
“I’m sorry William.” He said looking at him seriously.   
“For what?” William wondered aloud.   
“For not being there with you. Someday we can tell you the whole story but when I think about it none of it seems to matter. We should have been with you.”  
“I had dreams and visions that led me here. I learned so much about both of you. It is why I wanted to meet you. For a long time they were only visions of Dana and everyone else were just apart of a blurry backdrop. Then one night, a few days before mom and I left for D.C., I saw you for the first time. What all of the things I have seen have taught me is that neither of you wanted to give me up but that you had to.”  
“And your mother wanted to take you here?”  
“Yeah she is curious too about the beginning of my life. She wanted us to do something this weekend anyways.” William looked slightly sad for a moment, “My dad probably would have loved to be here.”  
“He is gone?” Mulder asked quietly.   
William nodded, “He died of cancer a few years ago. He was sick for a lot of my childhood but was able to do stuff still. He would have loved to see D.C.”  
“I’m sorry William.” Mulder said seriously.   
William gave a sad shrug. Mulder could tell that William was done talking about it for now so he moved on to another burning question he had.  
“How did you know where to go?”  
“Some friends of yours helped me. The Lone Gunmen.”   
Mulder snorted, “Of course.”  
“My friend and I found their website a while back and that is how we figured out who I might be.”   
“So you are into the kind of things those guys write?” Mulder asked casually, trying not to show his excitement at the idea that his son might believe in the paranormal.   
“Yeah my friends and I have done tons of research on that kind of stuff. But it was not hard for me to believe it. I’ve always been different than everyone else. I can do weird stuff and I figured the only explanation had to be out of this world. My dad used to say that I was so crazy I had to be from Mars.”   
Mulder’s smile was huge. He was happy to have this moment with William. The future was uncertain and he didn’t know if he would be able to have more moments like this in the time ahead but he could die at peace knowing that his son was happy and healthy. The fact that he was so open and excited about extreme possibilities was just the cherry on top. Scully would roll her eyes at him.   
William gave a small yawn.   
“William you should go lie down.” Mulder said knowing it is what Scully would have advised.   
“No I can’t leave her while she is like this. Dana said that she can hear what is going on. I want her to know I am here.” William said trying to wake himself up.   
“You sleep for a bit I’ll talk. Then she will know someone is here.”   
William considered this for a moment till his tiredness won out.   
“Ok but I don’t want to be asleep for too long.”  
“Deal.” Mulder said and laid his hand softly on William’s head before removing it and letting him go over to his cot to get rest. 

Mulder lay there trying to think of what to say to the woman next to him. He had seen on her chart that her name was Leah Van De Kamp so he started there.   
“Hi Leah, I’m Fox Mulder but you probably know that. Thank you for coming to D.C. You saved my life and now you are in trouble. I wish I was out there with Scully trying to find the cure for what is happening to you. Thank you for raising our son, for being his mother. Not a day has gone by where I haven’t thought of him and wondered about his family. It is helpful to know that he had a good life. I am also sorry that you have been dragged into this world that Scully and I belong to. That never should have happened and I wonder if you would be in this position if you had not come. But I’m glad you did.   
You see I did not get to see much of Will. I only knew him as a newborn baby just a few days old. He was so small and unchanged by the world around him. It is hard to reconcile that image with the young man I see now. It seems you have raised him so well. He is smart and compassionate.”  
He went on to ask Leah questions that he knew she couldn’t answer then. Questions about William’s life and about her husband. He told her about him and Scully; How they met and fell in love. He told her the story of William’s birth and what a miracle he was.   
He told her about how Scully would cry on holidays for William and how on his birthday every year she would spend the day in bed. He wanted her to know how much they missed him.   
Mulder described being away from William before he was given up. He told her how he would think of different ideas for their future. The dreams he would have of a nice house in the country where he could build a tree house for William and huge yard where they could play baseball. He had dreams of their little family but he realized that all of those dreams were unrealistic.   
He told her about his sister and his family. He also talked about Scully’s family and even told her the story of Emily.   
Mulder found that he had so much built up inside and he let it all out not knowing if she could even hear it. He hoped she did and that if she passed she would know all about him and Scully and if she lived she would understand how much they loved William.   
He did not know that William had been in and out of sleep for most of his ramblings. William lay in his bed enthralled by all of the stories Mulder told. William smiled to himself and fell back into a dreamless sleep.


	16. Pure Evil

Disclaimer: The X Files does not belong to me. 

Pure Evil

Scully knew this plan was a disaster waiting to happen. She knew that she would be making a deal with the devil if she went through with this. She wondered what would be asked of her in return.   
Scully had no doubt that The Smoking Man had a cure for Leah Van De Kamp and the others who were dying, the problem would be getting it from him. Mulder worried about her safety with Spender but Scully knew he was not going to hurt her. At least not physically. It was not part of his game. He wanted her alive and Mulder too.   
She found Miller quickly and explained the situation. He was not crazy about the plan but when Scully made it clear that she was leaving with or with out him he decided to come along.   
The main problem, of course, was getting out of D.C., it seemed that every inch of street and sidewalk were filled with cars at a complete standstill.   
She knew that there was a helipad on the roof of the hospital and she decided to try to find out who to talk to so she could get access to it.   
Many who filled the halls were on the mend and some were in full recovery. They had quarantined the people who remained sick even though most of the staff realized the others wouldn’t catch it. The masses needed to feel safe right now. When people become afraid they begin to act out.   
Scully had seen some of that behavior earlier in the evening as the looting began. She had no doubt that was just the tip of the ice burg. After finally locating the people in charge of the helicopter she explained the situation. Her actions from earlier had made an impact and they believed her. No one else was healthy enough to fly the helicopter so it was not being used.   
Scully thanked God for her training.   
Before leaving she checked in on Skinner and Tad O’Malley. Skinner was in a room off to the side and held only him and Tad. Skinner was not a fan of Tad O’Malley but he didn’t complain about the arrangement.   
“Sir? How are you feeling?” Scully said softly as she felt his forehead for signs of fever. O’Malley lay in the cot next to Skinner fast asleep.   
“I am feeling fine Agent Scully. I have made an amazing recovery. I am told you are to thank for the cure, is that right?” Skinner asked squinting up at her since the lights were still giving him a headache.   
“Agent Einstein and I worked together on this as well as many other doctors.” Scully said modestly.   
“Whatever you say Agent. But I know you are the one who saved all of these lives. How are you feeling? Where is Mulder?”  
“I am fine. Sleep deprived and emotionally drained but I am doing much better than most. Mulder is recovering. He was really bad when I found him and needed stem cells.”  
“Stem cells? How did you…?” He trailed off.   
“Sir, William found me. It was amazing. I looked up and he was just there. I don’t have any explanation for any of it but I am just trying to enjoy it for now. I actually need to leave now to go find a way to help his mother.”   
“Where are you going?”  
“To find The Smoking Man. She is dying, along with others that he deemed nonessential. He must have some sort of cure.”  
“Dana, you should know by now that nothing from him comes out of the goodness of his heart. He will want something huge in return. There must be another way to go about this.”  
“No sir, I don’t think there is another way. I estimate that I only have a few hours until we lose her and I have no time to argue anymore about going to him.”  
“Fine but I am going with.” Skinner began to get up and ignored Scully’s pleas for him to lay back down.   
“Sir you are not well enough to be going! Agent Miller is coming with I will be fine.”  
“Agent Miller is a good agent but he is green. He has never dealt with anyone like this before. Spender is pure evil; the devil incarnate. Miller does not know how to handle that yet. I have faced him many times. I am coming with and that is not up for debate. The world might be ending but I am still your boss.”   
Scully decided to give up the fight and just let him come along. She knew he would anyways and he seemed to be getting better by the minute. He walked normal but she could tell he was dizzy and she grabbed a couple bags in case he got sick on the ride out.   
The three agents made it to the roof and into the helicopter. Skinner continued to point out the flaws in the plan till they were in the air and he became too sick to argue. Scully felt sympathy but was also relieved to have him stop talking.   
Miller was not much better but she knew that his youth had saved him most of the trouble and time of beating the illness.   
Scully had completely lost track of time in the hospital and when she walked out into the sunlight it was surprising to her. As they flew she was almost amazed that the sun had even come up. The day was so beautiful. The sky was blue with fluffy white clouds and a slight breeze blew through the air. It was as if God was mocking the tragedy that was going on below. Like he had finally given up on man but wanted to maintain the beauty of the earth.   
In between her thoughts of the science behind all of this and trying to solve it she had been praying a near constant stream of thoughts. As time wore on the prayers were less coherent and eventually it was whittled down to a list of names in her head.   
Mulder, William, Leah, Bill, Tara, Matthew, Charlie…. The list wore on. It was almost therapeutic for her to just let the names of those she cared about flow out.   
Knowing that Mulder was out of dodge had eased her anxiety greatly. Since he began recovering she found herself able to fully focus on the crisis that was unfolding. During the transplant there were moments where she was not sure he would make it. There were rolling blackouts all around D.C. and they were lucky to have a generator, but the stress of the outages was evident in the doctors working. All were tired and still recovering themselves.   
Scully watched on helplessly thinking of all the times she nearly lost him and how he had always lived. She said them to comfort herself but the thoughts just ended up giving her more worry as she thought, it is only a matter of time.  
Mulder was all that she had. Yes, William had made an appearance but he did not belong to her. Mulder belonged to her and she to him. No matter if they were together or separated they would always belong to each other. Losing him would be losing a part of herself and she was not sure what she would turn into if she lost him.   
As she recounted these events she sent up a thank you to her God hoping that her show of gratefulness would win her some brownie points. She needed all the help she could get. 

They landed in a field near where Miller described the isolated house. Once they landed they had to walk for nearly a half hour before they came upon a car.   
Skinner surprised everyone and broke the window and then preceded to hotwire the car.   
Both agents watched with open mouths as the car started and their Assistant Director emerged with a look of pride.   
Miller drove them down the road he took to find Mulder. The house that they pulled up to looked entirely normal.  
In her mind Scully had pictured it as some kind of secret hideout or bunker but this was more like a family house that one would buy to raise children in.   
They had discussed how to go about entering the house and had decided that a direct approach was best. There was no point in surprising him and they wanted to tred lightly.   
So they all three made their way to the front door. Scully looked at both men who nodded at her and she then knocked on the door.   
No sound could be heard. After a few seconds she knocked again only to be met with more silence.   
After a few more knocks and what felt like forever she tested the knob. It was open and they went in. All three had their hands on their guns on instinct.   
Suddenly they were frozen. Suspended in the places where they were. They could not move a muscle no matter how hard they tried. It reminded Scully of what’d happened on the bridge. Fear crept into her mind as she wondered what kind of trick this could possibly be.   
She heard a voice in her head then. It was one that she did not know but it sounded somehow familiar to her, “Agent Scully I have been wondering when I would see you next. It has been far too long.”


	17. The Lost Boy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bringing in an old character! Some of the background story is from the comics, which I again recommend!

Disclaimer: I do not own the X Files

The Lost Boy

His whole life had been solitary. From the beginning his dad had been absent and his mother lived her life in fear that someone would find out about him. He was never quite sure what happened to his mother, all he knew is that one day he suddenly found himself with a group of mysterious strangers who all seemed to know what he could do.  
They pretended to raise him normal and left him mostly to his own devices. They wanted to test him though and the perfect way to do that would be through a game of chess.  
The people in charge of his care and growth had decided that chess was a good way to see how far his abilities could go. They wanted to see if he, even as a child, could follow the complicated steps and moves in the other persons mind. They wanted to see how much he could understand.  
He of course was a natural and they took advantage of this. The only problem was their pride. They let him go and compete and show off all of his skill in front of thousands. And it was all good until the day it wasn’t.  
The day they were killed was the day that Gibson Praise’s life changed forever. It was the day that the bullet that was meant for him went into his opponent’s head and the day that he met Agents Mulder and Scully.  
His adventures with the pair were dangerous and led him down a path to connecting with his alien ancestors.  
The black oil that everyone was so afraid of was comforting to Gibson. He was taken in by the alien creatures and understood them. They were much more simple than the humans who’s concerns drove Gibson nearly mad.  
Even his friends at the FBI could be so petty and childish. He found that it felt more like a high school dance than a government conspiracy sometimes; and while he liked the agents, he enjoyed the company of people who had less on their minds.  
Gibson lived a transient life until he got to New Mexico and there he found a home. He lived alone in a trailer on the reservation. Eric Hosteen, Albert’s grandson, would visit as well as some of the tribal elders when they were in need of advise but mostly, he was left alone which is how he liked it.  
Things changed when Mulder contacted him. Mulder had escaped to the reservation, as it was the only place he could think of where he could find allies. Almost immediately upon his arrival he was told of Gibson’s presence and Mulder went to find him.  
Gibson along with Eric Hosteen and other members of the tribe hid Mulder and assisted him in his search for answers. Gibson had been happy to see his old friend. But Mulder was depressed. Life separated from Scully and their son took a toll on him and the sadness would drive Gibson nearly mad some days. Mulder was considerate of the fact that Gibson could hear his thoughts and he would often leave to go out into the desert on his own when things got especially hard.  
Seeing Mulder go was bitter sweet. He had come to enjoy Mulder’s presence and felt much less alone but he also knew how desperately Mulder wanted to get home.  
The day that Gibson heard that Mulder would be punished for his supposed crimes came sooner than Gibson had supposed. Going to help Mulder was not even a question. Gibson and Eric knew that Mulder needed help and that Gibson was the only one who could provide it.  
The trial was a sham of course. Gibson knew before he entered the building that it didn’t matter what he said, the men judging Mulder had already made up their minds. So instead Gibson decided to mess with them a bit. He was not surprised to find an enemy amongst the panel and was eager to point him out.  
Scully enjoyed visiting with Gibson while he was there. She stayed with him and talked with him when the rest would go out to try to find evidence to clear Mulder. Gibson could feel the sadness in her and heard it in her every thought but he admired her even more seeing how she handled it.  
Agent Scully was even more remarkable than the last time he had seen her and his heart broke a little bit that she had lost so much since then.  
She nurtured him in a way he had not been nurtured in a while. She would make him food and make sure he was comfortable every night and would worry over him the way a mother would.  
Gibson knew where it stemmed from and he basked in it. Despite being older now and having lived on his own for so long, he still found himself wanting to be taken care of and Scully did that.  
When they left him the change was so immediate. While the rest of the groups’ promises to take care of him had been pure they found themselves so engulfed in chaos after the duo had left that Gibson could feel the wolves coming for him.  
He left in the middle of the night and returned to his place in New Mexico where he remained.  
There he was isolated again but it felt even worse after being with friends for a while. He found himself becoming bitter.  
They should have taken me with them if they really cared about my safety. He thought to himself pitifully.  
As time wore on he discovered new powers within himself and was able to expand and control his abilities. He could filter the voices and he found that he could also move things with his mind. It started small, a pencil here a sandwich there, but then grew into him being able to lift his trailer a foot off the ground. Mind control, however, was the power he was having a hard time understanding and it was also the one he was most afraid of.  
When the colonists found and approached him he first asked them to leave him alone. But they refused. They were scared of the super soldiers and the threat of their own extermination.  
More and more came to depend on Gibson until he finally decided to help them. He used his powers to build them shelters of magnetite. He was able to hide their presence from those who would look to harm them as they built their shelters.  
Gibson had never considered himself an active participant in this war but he grew to like the colonists and also grew to understand them.  
He had chosen a side. 

The aliens listened to him. They were practical beings that listened much more to logic than emotion.  
The alien’s plans had been known for some time and they were honest with Gibson about them.  
They wanted the Earth and they wanted human slaves. The syndicate had deceived them, which was something that the aliens did not fully understand. The fact that the syndicate had been somewhat successful in creating the human/alien slave race was helpful but the aliens had nearly given up on keeping the humans around.  
There was a war that was distracting them and they realized that humans could not be trusted.  
Gibson learned a lot from them and helped them in their fight against the faceless aliens and in return the greys listened to him.  
He gave a case for humanity using himself as proof that humans were evolving. The aliens listened to him.  
Being practical beings, however, they could not justify keeping all the humans alive. They were interested in studying a small portion. Gibson had considered getting them that far to be a victory.  
The aliens knew the date that the virus would be released and knew that the humans planned to use this as a time to have the super soldiers take over.  
On the day of the event they had come to a decision: They would let some die and then would let humanity cure itself.  
Their idea was that if humans could figure out how to cure the virus they deserved to live. There was a fail safe though. The population of the Earth had been evaluated over thousands of years by the aliens and they had come to divide the humans into essentials and nonessentials. The nonessentials would die even with the cure to the original virus.  
This had all been administered through vaccines and water supplies to ensure only those ‘worthy’ would survive.  
All over the planet in every country they dropped hints as to how to cure the virus. Only some would be able to make it happen. Many of the developing countries had heavy losses before the U.N. was able to get any medicine out to them. Those in the country and other isolated places would have a lot more time to prepare for what was coming and many went underground.  
Gibson watched sadly as the world was torn apart. He continued to remind himself that he did everything he could to save as many as possible. He didn’t know what was going to happen to those who were left, as he could not read the aliens minds unless they allowed it.  
Being with them was a nice break from the noise.  
There were loose ends to tie up, of course, and Gibson was sent to deal with one of those loose ends.  
The Smoking Man needed to die once and for all.  
He had been saved by technology far too many times and the only way to fully eliminate him was to isolate him.  
They got to his home and found no sign of him. Gibson wondered how he could have possibly moved so fast and gotten away. He was getting ready to leave when he heard a familiar voice ring out in his head. 

Leah, Mulder, William, Bill, Matthew, Tara….  
It was Scully. Gibson got suddenly very excited to see her and then realized she would probably not like his role in all of this.  
As her, Skinner, and an agent he did not know entered the home Gibson made a snap decision to hold them in place so he could have time to explain what was happening.  
The three were frozen in place and Gibson sent out a message to Scully as he made his way downstairs to see them.  
He turned the corner.  
“Gibson?” Scully said with a voice fully of all kinds of emotions.  
“Hello Scully. I know what you are looking for and he is not here. He could not help you anyways. That old man is delusional to think he has any power over the current events. I am happy to see that you have recovered your son and that Agent Mulder is recovering.” Gibson said as he scanned her mind, “You want a cure for Williams mother.”  
“Yes. Gibson please let us go we are not going to do anything you’re a friend.”  
He decided to free them knowing he could stop any violence anyway.  
“Do you know how to save Leah?” Scully asked hopefully.  
“Yes I do.” Gibson said looking down at the ground, “But I can’t give it to you Scully. All of this is a part of a plan that started before I was born and I am just a small part of this.”  
Scully’s face dropped, “But you know how to cure her? Just tell me how and I will do it!”  
“I can’t Scully.”  
“Why? Who’s side are you on?!”  
“I’m on humanity’s side! If not for me so many more would be dead but I am not perfect! I did as much as I could!”  
“And now you are refusing to do no more?”  
“If I give you this cure you will not just use it on her you will use it on any of the dying and if you start that the colonists may change their mind about saving humanity.”  
“Saving humanity? Millions are dying!”  
“But millions will survive! That is more than they originally planned. Originally they were going to kill everyone. They wanted to make humans extinct but because of me humanity will thrive! The world can start over!”  
“Gibson… What happened to you?” Scully looked horrified at his words. Gibson could read her sadness. She thought he had lost his way.  
“I am better than I have ever been.”  
“You have changed. All human life is valuable.”  
“Is it though? Think of all those wasted lives of people who just take up space and add to the destruction of the world. The colonists are cleaning house and starting fresh. They are saving the Earth and all of it’s life from overpopulation, climate change, and poverty.”  
“What made you think this way?”  
“The aliens have not abandoned me.”  
He could tell that she knew right away what he was talking about. He could feel the guilt that filled her and a part of him wanted to hurt her more but he held back.  
“Dana, I am better than I would have been if you had taken me with you. I have grown and understand my power. Who do you think stopped time so that you could get the cure? You and Mulder would not have understood my gifts. This way I was able to learn.”  
Scully just shook her head he could hear that she wanted to talk more but that she was more desperate to get a cure for Mrs. Van De Kamp.  
“All of this to say that I cannot help you.” Gibson said with genuine sadness.  
The click of a gun echoed through the room and Scully stood with the gun trained on him. He could read that she was not going to actually shoot and he knew that she was not in her right mind. Sleep deprivation, ranging emotions, and hunger made her desperate.  
Skinner reached out to her and said, “Scully, no. There has to be another way. Let’s go and look for Spender.”  
Scully ignored his hand on her shoulder, “If he can’t find cancer man what makes you think we can?”  
“Agent Scully I know you will not kill me. I suggest that you go back to the hospital and enjoy the time left with Leah.”  
“She is dying Gibson!”  
“I cannot help you.”  
Scully was torn but she knew that he could see she was not going to pull the trigger. She holstered her gun and without a word turned and walked out the door.  
She could hear Skinner and Miller trying to convince Gibson to help them but she knew it was hopeless. Gibson knew the whole situation and he was not going to change his mind. There was no use.  
Leah was going to die.


	18. What Now?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own the X Files. 

What Now?

 

Scully sat by Mulder’s bed holding his hand and keeping watch over him. She had been in that exact place many times and she still was not used to the disturbing sight. But this time she knew he was going to live.   
She glanced up to look at Leah and William. William was sitting in a chair next to her bed and had laid his head on the bed next to her and fell asleep. Scully sighed sadly and looked at her lap holding back tears. She felt like a failure. She could do nothing for her except make her comfortable.   
She couldn’t help but think that if Mulder had been fully healthy he would know what to do. Skinner and Miller had gone out to check on leads for the Smoking Man and Monica Reyes but so far had nothing.   
She felt Mulder stir and looked up from her lap. He opened his eyes to see her and gave a wide smile.  
“Hey.” He said softly.   
“Hey.” She said back smiling, “How are you feeling?”   
“I’ve been better. How did things go with Cancer Man?”  
“We didn’t find him, but we found someone else… Gibson Praise was there.”   
Mulder sat up a bit straighter and grimaced from the pain of moving too fast, “What?”  
Scully got up and began to check his stiches and change his bandages, “Mulder you need to take it easy still. It is a very long and upsetting story but the short version is that he is now working with the colonists. He and the colonists were the ones stopped time to let us find a cure. He says that he convinced them to spare some of humanity, and not as slaves. They plan on relocating all of the human’s to one area and basically want to treat us like an endangered species. I asked if he knew how to help Leah. Apparently he knows there is a way to cure her but he refused to help. All people that are considered ‘non-essential’ are going to die. People without skills that would be helpful in starting a human colony. He said that is what had to happen. I almost killed him. He had gone to the place you sent us so that he could find and kill the Smoking Man and he didn’t know where to find him or if he would even know how to help Leah… God, Mulder I just… I couldn’t believe it was the same Gibson. He was much colder.”  
Mulder took her hand. He could see that it was bothering her and it bothered him too. He wondered why Gibson had not come to see them. Mulder had always wondered what happened to Gibson after they left but for so many years they had so much more to worry about that they didn’t have time to track him down. By the time Mulder was able to follow leads Gibson’s trail had gone cold.   
“So… He is working with the aliens then?”  
“Yeah. He believes that he has saved humanity. Maybe he has but he didn’t seem to see the wrong in choosing who lives and who dies.”  
“Dana?” Said a small voice.   
They both turned to see William rubbing his eyes tiredly looking at them. Scully moved to him quickly.   
“William? How are you feeling?” She put her hands on his face and lowered herself to look at him.   
“I’m ok. Did you find out anything?” He asked.   
Scully’s heart clenched and she tried to compose herself to answer.   
“No Will, I wasn’t able to find anything useful.”  
“But you found something?”  
“I found an old friend who… well he understands what is happening right now and he… he doesn’t think there is anything that can be done. Some friends of ours are out searching for more answers right now.”  
“Do you think she will make it?”   
Scully rolled her lips together tightly and couldn’t decide how to respond.   
“I’m sorry William. I just don’t know.”   
He looked at her seriously as if trying to figure her out. She felt almost like he was looking right through her and the feeling of amazement and unease that she felt when he was just a baby returned to her.   
“What can I do?” He asked her.   
“For right now you need to take care of yourself. I’m going to move your cot over here next to your mom and then I need you to lie down and I am going to change your bandages.”   
William just nodded.   
When Scully had moved his cot over he got back in bed, careful not to pull out the IV he still had attached to him.   
Scully began to redress his wounds when she finished with William she circled back around to Mulder to finish where she left off with him.   
“Are you two hungry?” She asked.   
Both of them nodded and she smiled at how similar they looked right now.   
“I’ll go get us some dinner.” 

The hospital had become one of the many spots in the city where people could get the cure. There were still many people waiting on their own treatment. Many citizens had been trained on how to put in an IV. Scully swallowed the slight guilt she felt at helping her own family instead of offering assistance out there. She decided she would as soon as she was done getting them dinner.   
Food and water was a problem in the first few hours of the outbreak but when the cure started to make it’s way around they were able to enlist police officers to help keep the peace and had some hospital staff making runs to grocery stores all around in a truck. At this point there was rationing but there was enough food for everyone. The line was very long and Dana took her place at the end until an officer recognized her as a doctor and told her to go to the front.   
She got a tray with two meals and got herself a banana and bag of chips.   
When she got back to the room William and Mulder were talking Star Trek. She heard them and stopped outside the door for a moment just to listen. She laughed silently and thought about all of the times she imagined small moments like that. She finally entered with the food, which they were both very excited to see. Neither of them had realized how hungry they were until Scully had mentioned it. They scarfed the food down quickly as Scully checked all of Leah’s equipment and made sure she was all set. She looked over both Mulder and William one more time and then made her way out into the hall to face a long evening. 

The hours dragged on for Dana as she inserted IV after IV. She had not gotten good sleep in too long but the line for the cure seemed never-ending and they needed people to help.   
Some relief came in the form of Agent Einstein telling her they needed more hands in creating more of the cure. Scully went back to the lab to see it filled with doctors and scientists who had been called upon to help. There were boxes filled with the life saving fluid, and while it looked like a lot, she knew that if there was not more being made constantly that they would run out quickly.   
Things were slightly easier for the next three hours that she worked on the cure. She was working on mixing the specific compounds needed when she had a thought, Take DNA from the people who are dying and the some from the ones who are healed. She knew there had to be an answer in the DNA. She finished the task at hand and then practically ran out of the lab.   
She moved quickly down the hall but halted when she saw people gathered around the doorway. She walked up and saw a couple of men from the staff gently lifting Leah’s lifeless form from the bed and onto a gurney.   
The scene before her was like one from her nightmares. Mulder was on his feet behind William with his hands on their son’s shoulders. William just stared at the scene before him as if in a dream.   
Scully quickly moved into the room, “Where are you taking her?!” She demanded even though she could tell that Leah was lost to them.   
“Doctor she is gone. We tried everything we could but it wasn’t enough and this bed could be of use in the lobby. We need to take her.” One of the attendants said.   
She walked up closer to them and lowered her voice, “Where will you store her body?”   
“With the others.”   
A chill went through her body. The morgue was so full that the floor was now covered with bagged bodies. She also knew that if the bodies continued to drop they would soon have to begin burning them. Soon Leah would be apart of the nameless line of bodies and it made Scully sick. She felt angry but knew there was nothing she could do except make sure the bag was properly labeled and ensure that when things calmed down that Leah was buried with her husband.  
“Just… If they need to start cremation make sure she is safe from that. She needs to be buried with her family.”   
“Dr. Scully we are not in charge of that.”  
“Well tell whoever is that what I just said!”  
The men nodded quickly. One covered Leah’s face and began to wheel her out while the other took the hospital bed.   
Scully went over to William who was still watching in a state of shock. She was moving to Mulder’s side when William’s skinny arms were suddenly around her and his head was buried in her shoulder. He was shaking with tears and after a moment the dam burst and Scully was crying as well. She held him close and wished she could take the pain away.   
One thought rang through her mind as her son held on to her for dear life,  
What now?….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I struggled with trying to decide if I wanted to keep Leah in the story or not. I had written a bit ahead with her alive and just could not get it right. I hated having to kill her off but my muse spoke.


	19. Responsibility

Disclaimer: I do not own the X Files

Responsibility 

An hour after Leah Van De Kamp’s body had been wheeled out of the room Scully found herself sitting next to a hospital bed that held her son. William had cried for a long time and promptly fell asleep. Scully herself had been crying and now had a pounding headache and was fighting off sleep herself.   
Mulder had been going between pacing around the room anxiously and sitting down bouncing his leg.   
“Mulder sit down.” Scully said softly.   
Mulder stopped for a moment and looked at William’s sleeping form. He walked over to Scully and kneeled down next to her.   
“It’s not your fault.” He whispered.   
“I never said it was.” She responded not making eye contact.   
“Yeah but I know you’re thinking it.”  
Scully shook her head sadly, “How are you?”   
“I don’t know. Overwhelmed I guess. I found something you should see…” Mulder got up and picked up a folded piece of paper that sat on the nightstand that had been sitting next to Leah’s bed.   
“You need to read this.” He took her arm lightly and pulled her up and across the room.   
He then handed the note to her and watched her face as she read.   
Scully opened up the letter curiously and read:

I Leah Van De Kamp being of sound mind write that upon the event of my death I would like Dana Scully and Fox Mulder to take custody of my son William Van De Kamp. I find myself on my deathbed and I intend to make sure that the people who raise him care for him and are able to take care of him.   
Leah Van De Kamp 

Scully read the short letter three times before fully understanding what was in her hands. She looked up at Mulder whose face was white as a sheet.   
“Would this hold up legally?” She said trying to stay calm as she looked over to their sleeping son.  
“Well it probably depends on what relatives he has left, but I imagine it would hold up pretty well at least. They will have to make sure it is her signature and see if that is what he wants.” He paused for a moment as they heard William moving in his bed they both watched as he moved in his sleep and once they were sure he was still asleep Mulder continued, “Right now the world is a mess. It’s unclear exactly what life is going to be like after this. I imagine it will be unlike anything that has come before.”   
She didn’t respond. Scully’s eyes had never left her son’s sleeping figure and he could see a sheen of tears over her eyes. He could practically see the gears in her head turning and processing all of what she had just heard and read. He knew that all of the wishes and daydreams that she had for years were running through her mind. He knew because that is exactly what happened when he read it.   
Images of him and William stargazing, playing baseball, and watching movies came to mind. He pictured the three of them on the couch in their little house cuddled under a blanket. He looked down at Scully and took her chin in his hand. He moved her face to look at him but her eyes lingered on the boy for another few moments before finally turning to his.   
“Dana, this is not how things should be happening but the fact is that Leah wanted us to care for him. Talk to me.” He searched her eyes looking for answers.   
She closed her eyes painfully and placed her hand over his which he had moved to her cheek,   
“I don’t know what to think. Mulder… I never wanted this to happen. I mean, I have always wanted to be with William but I gave him up so he could stay away from all of this and have a normal life. But here we are. He is in our lives for not even a week and his mother is dead. I also don’t dare to hope that this could actually happen.”   
“What do you mean?”  
“What if we get excited about the prospect of being his parents only to have him taken away? I don’t think I can do that again Mulder.”   
Her voice broke slightly at the end and Mulder reached forward and brought her to him. He laid his head on hers and reveled in the feeling of her arms around him for a moment before he responded, “Scully, I think that we are all that he has got. I don’t think that Leah would have written this if she knew of other relatives who would have wanted to take him in. But that is beside the point. A few weeks ago after your mother’s funeral you told me how you believed that your mother’s last words were a message to us that we are responsible for William. It is time for us to take that responsibility and in the end it might be painful but we wished, prayed, and waited for him before he was born and after which, as you said, makes us responsible for him.”   
She pulled away from him so she could see his face. Her tears had never broken but he could tell that she was still emotional. She was running on very little sleep and had experienced a couple of the most emotionally intense days of her life and he wanted to tell her to go lie down but he knew she would never listen.  
“Clever Mulder.” She smiled softly and he ran his thumb down her cheek, “You’re right. I’m just tired and frankly scared.”   
“Me too.”  
They both turned to look at their son and held on to each other as they pondered what lie ahead.


	20. Fear

Disclaimer: I do not own the X Files

Fear

 

Mulder ran down the narrow hallway following William. He could not remember what they were running from but he knew it was something bad. Every once in a while William would look over his shoulder every few seconds which would cause Mulder to look over his own. He was always met with an empty hallway. He did not know how long they ran till he saw the dead end but he felt fear in his chest and prepared himself to protect his son against whatever evil they were running from. William hit the end of the hallway and was panicking and pounding on the walls. He turned around to look at Mulder who was now behind him and his face filled with terror.   
“Don’t hurt me!” He yelled crouching down on the floor with his hands covering his head.   
“William I would never…” He trailed off as he looked in front of him into a mirror. In the mirror he was not met with his own face but with the face of his biological father, C.G.B. Spender. He moved back in surprise.   
“No! I am not him! William I won’t hurt you!” He tried to get near his son but William would flinch away every time.   
“Please! This is not me!”

Scully’s eyes shot open when Mulder began to struggle in his sleep on the cot next to where she was sitting. He was making quick movements and mumbling unintelligibly and his face was a mask of pain.   
“Mulder.” Scully said quietly as she put her hand to his face, “Mulder it’s ok.”   
“I’m not him…” Was the only thing Scully understood in his mumbled response.   
“Mulder it’s just a dream wake up.”   
His movements became more violent and Scully moved her face close to him and whispered in his ear, “Mulder it is just a dream, you’re safe.”   
Years of practice had taught her that Mulder just needed to hear her voice to be brought back to reality.   
His eyes opened and the sight of Scully’s face calmed him a bit. She said nothing and just ran her hands through his hair and along his face until she could tell he had recovered from whatever pain the nightmare had brought.   
“Scully we can’t take William. Or I can’t at least.” He said so quietly she had to move her ear near his mouth.   
“What would make you say something like that?” Scully asked although she had a few fears herself about taking in William she knew that this was what they had dreamed of for so long.   
“My father Scully. My biological father. That is in me. All of that evil is inside of me and it is not like my dad was that great of an example of a father. I will just screw him up! It is unsafe.”   
Scully didn’t bat an eye at this revelation, she knew Mulder was haunted by his lineage, “Mulder you do realize that the same biology exists in William? So if it is the biology argument you are going for it is not going to hold up. And tons of people have crappy parents and are still able to be good parents your fears are unfounded. It was just a nightmare.”   
“You didn’t experience it Scully. He was so scared of me and I don’t blame him. The Smoking Man messed with my head for years I would not be surprised if some kind of hidden darkness in me comes out as soon as things start to go well. I don’t want any of that around William.”   
“You are not making sense Mulder.” Scully began to stroke his face again to calm him but it seemed to do nothing.   
“I can’t be a good father.”   
“That is bull shit. You are just scared. You don’t think that I’m scared Mulder? You don’t think that I wonder about the things that were done to me and think they maybe screwed me up? Hell, I was the one who gave him up how do I know I am even strong enough to be a real mother?” She whispered all of this at him fiercely through gritted teeth.   
It was his turn to raise his hand to her face, “Scully you will be the perfect mother.” His face was so earnest that it broke her heart. She wondered how he could say that of her but question himself.   
“Mulder no one is a perfect parent. I had a good childhood but I know my parents made a LOT of mistakes and I did have some lingering issues in adulthood because of some of those mistakes but that is life! And hey! We are getting him near the end here so how bad can we really mess him up?” She said the last part lightly trying to get a smile from him and it worked.   
“I just don’t want to be like him.”   
“You’re not like him Mulder. You have said it yourself; you’re a middle-aged man. You have made it this far and you are not like him at all. He was (is?) a sociopath Mulder you are not. He saw people as a means to an end and you don’t. He never worried for a moment about being a good father and the fact that you are worried is proof enough that you are not like him.”   
Mulder quietly pulled her face closer to his and they kissed softly for a moment before Scully’s cell phone rang from across the room.   
The noise surprised both of them, as no one had been able to get service for quite some time. Scully jumped up praying that it was one of her brothers.   
“Scully.” She said not even looking at the ID.   
Skinner was on the other end of the call and while Scully’s face fell a bit after she realized it was not her family. Skinner had been out searching for answers with the young Agent Miller. Scully was not exactly sure what they had been up to and honestly did not care very much. She knew they were tracking both Gibson and the Smoking Man but she had so much else on her mind that she had not given them much thought.   
Skinner had called mostly to tell her that they knew nothing. He told her what he had learned about the fate of the rest of the world. Scully asked him to try to find out about her brothers and also asked if he could look into the Van De Kamp family and see what other relatives William had.   
She had not told Mulder what their boss was up to because she worried he would want to get up and join them before he was ready to be active. She knew that he was brimming with curiosity and wanted answers but she could tell he was holding back for her sake and for Williams. He was also tired. She could tell when she looked at him. The past few days had worn on him in a way he was not yet ready to share.   
After she hung up she looked back into the room from where she had moved in the hall.   
Mulder was sitting up in bed watching William sleep. William for his part seemed to be getting some real rest, which was comforting to Scully. She watched them for a few minutes and pondered their future. 

Three days after Leah’s death Scully decided the boys needed to leave the hospital. Her apartment was not far from the hospital and she had made a couple trips to feed Dagoo and gather personal items. She thought it would be best to send them there until everything was figured out. The streets were still being cleared and getting out of the city would be hard. Scully also wanted them close and her apartment was walking distance.   
Everyday they awaited news of some sort of alien attack or government overthrow but none came and for some reason this worried them more. Whatever the colonists planned it seemed that it was going to happen much more quietly. Scully was helping William pack the weekend bag he had brought with him when they had traveled there. She had moved Leah’s things to her locker after her death and was still not quiet sure what to do with it.   
She had not opened it and had not asked William about it and he had not brought it up. She supposed that these were things to worry about at a later time. William leaned forward on the bed as Scully turned toward him. She noticed something on the back of his neck that made her heart stop. She moved forward slightly trying to get a closer look but his hair was in the way.   
“William, what is that on the back of your neck?” She asked trying to sound nonchalant.   
His hand went to the back of his neck and he rubbed it for a second and responded, “I don’t know actually. My mom said that I had it when they got me. Why do you know what it is?”   
A mixture of rage and fear filled Scully as she tried to formulate a response, “No I don’t I was just wondering.”   
William narrowed his eyes, “What is it?”  
Scully let out a sigh and looked up for a moment to see Mulder standing in the doorway with a worried look painted across his face.   
“I have a scar just like it on the back of my neck as well. It was made by a group of men who abducted me and the scar was created when they put something in my neck.”   
William’s eyes widened a bit but he did not seem as surprised as she thought he should have been. She wished yet again that he didn’t have to see normalcy in sentences like that.   
“You think they did that to me?”   
“No no no! I was just curious. Can I look at it?”  
He moved his head so she could hold it and brush aside the hair that barely covered it. Sure enough there was a small incision scar at the base of his neck. She tried not to react and raised her eyes to meet Mulders. She nodded her head to him and he just dropped his.   
“William before we leave the hospital I want to get a quick x-ray of your neck just to make sure.” She was amazed at how normal her voice sounded and she hoped he didn’t hear the panic she was feeling.   
“Ok.”  
William wasn’t stupid. He knew that Scully was upset by what she found on his neck. He had never really wondered much about it. It seemed like there were so many other odd things about him and that seemed like the least of it but if Dana had a matching scar it must mean something.   
After getting the x-ray he waited in a chair in the waiting room with Mulder. Mulder’s knee bounced quickly and he was looking down at his hands.   
“What is going to happen to me?” William asked quietly.   
Mulder’s knee stopped bouncing and he turned in William’s direction.   
“Well, we, uh… For now Scully and I are will take you in.” He said then added nervously, “If that is what you want at least.”   
“I would like that.”   
They both went back to an awkward silence that was filled with countless questions.

Scully held back a sob as she looked at the x-ray. She saw a small flat chip right under the scar. She didn’t know what to do now. Everything spun for a moment as she tried to consider the options. But then realized that there were no options. There was nothing they could do. They certainly couldn’t remove it and if they couldn’t remove it they would never be able to get a good look at it. Knowing what happened to her when the chip was removed she knew that she could never tamper with whatever was in his neck.   
The fact that he had it when he arrived at the Van De Kamp’s home was almost too much to take. How could she ever think he would be safe away from her? She took a few minutes to collect herself before going to rejoin Mulder and William.   
They both looked up quickly when she entered the room.   
“Ready to go?” She said trying to sound unbothered.   
William squinted at her, “What did you find?”   
“Well there is something there as I thought but you are healthy and fine and there is nothing we can really do about it. I am sure it is nothing important.” She could tell William saw right through her but he said nothing. They walked back to the apartment in silence as all three thought about the mysterious object in the back of William’s neck. He couldn’t stop reaching his hand to touch it after a few times Dana noticed and took his hand in hers as they walked. He knew that he should feel too old for such a gesture but he could tell that Dana was already nervous that he would let go and, honestly, he liked it. Her hand was warm and familiar and the contact made him feel safe.   
When they reached the apartment Dana opened the door for them to go in. Dagoo ran to greet them and jumped and sniffed allover William. For the first time since his mom died a smile found its way across his face and he laughed at the antics of the small dog.   
“That dog belonged to a were-lizard or were-man… an ancient lizard that turned into a man at night…” Mulder trailed off, as he was still confused about that case.   
William laughed and Scully just shook her head.   
“Will… after you get settled we need to talk I’ll show you where everything is.” Scully led him to the bedroom where he put his things. The apartment was two rooms and a kitchenette. Temporary living for Scully and mostly bare as she had started slowly moving things back to the little house in the country. William went into the bathroom and Scully went right to Mulder in the other room.   
“It was there Mulder. In the exact same place. I sent him away to keep him safe but I just put him in danger. They knew where he was the whole time and we didn’t!” Scully whispered to him.   
He put his hands on her shoulders, “What can we do?”  
“Nothing. We can’t remove it and I am afraid to do anything to it. There’s nothing we can do.”  
“For now, Scully. We will figure this out once the dust clears.”   
William came out and sat on the couch with a bit of a huff. Scully came and sat next to him and Mulder sat on the other side.  
“We found this the other day and think you should read it.” Scully carefully pulled out the paper that held the last will and testament of Leah Van De Kamp.   
William read it to himself and then just stared at the paper.   
It hit him in that moment that his mom was not coming back. She was really gone and it was his fault. William’s mind had always worked at the speed of light and never slowed down but now he suddenly found himself at a loss. He realized that if they had not come to D.C. she might have still been alive.   
He glanced over at his birth father who he also realized would have been dead if he had not come to D.C. He looked at Dana but couldn’t look her in the eye because he knew if he did he would cry.   
He had always wanted to know his birth parents if he had known it would come at such a high cost he never would have perused it.   
Knowing that he could stay with them was a comfort beyond words but the fact would always remain that while they were his birth parents they were not his mom and dad.   
Mom.   
He finally met Scully’s eyes, which were filled with such hope and sadness that a vision suddenly clouded his brain.   
Dana was looking at him crying, sobbing really, and clutching him tight.   
“Monica I don’t think I can do it.” She said through sobs, “I’m not strong enough.”  
“You don’t have to do it Dana. You can still change your mind.” The answer came from outside his vision but he recognized it from his dreams.   
“He needs a real life. He needs a chance. This is the only way I can give him a life that will not be filled with pain and danger. He deserves a normal childhood with parents who are not haunted by aliens and government conspiracies. He deserves better than me and he will get it.”   
“Dana no one will love him like you do. We can keep him safe.”  
“I’ve made my decision, I just need help in carrying it out. When they come I’m going to resist. I need you to keep me strong. Remind me, Monica, of why I am doing this. He will have the life he deserves even if it breaks my heart. He will have the mother he deserves.”   
The vision disappeared and he was still looking into the eyes of his birth mother. She was not his mom. She could never replace his mom but he knew no one loved him like she did.


	21. Time Passes

Disclaimer: I do not own the X Files

Time Passes

Time began to pass, at first slowly as people waited for another shoe to drop, but soon enough the new life post pandemic became almost normal. People can get used to anything. For William life was new and strange. They stayed in Scully’s apartment until the roads were cleared and about two weeks after arriving in D.C.   
William had found himself in a car with Mulder and Dagoo headed to the small country house that Mulder and Scully owned. They would bring the small amount of stuff she had at her apartment to the house in a few trips and as soon as the air ports opened back up they would take William back to Wyoming to get anything he wanted and to begin to wrap things up.   
Scully had been very busy at the hospital and for the two weeks had spent most nights at the hospital, catching sleep in the bunks there. She finally told the guys that they should just start moving and she would catch up.   
Every day more reports from around the country came in and the damage was bad. Every continent was affected but not every country had been touched which caused Mulder and Scully to wonder about what other battles were being waged out of sight between the super soldiers and the colonists that had caused large populations to not be touched.   
They had not heard from Gibson and there had been no sight of the Smoking Man or of Monica Reyes.   
As soon as Mulder began to feel better he wanted to get out there and start looking for answers but Scully begged him to wait until she was less needed at the hospital. She didn’t want Mulder leaving William and running off to dangerous places or worse, taking William with him to those dangerous places. Mulder understood her concerns and listened to them, to a certain extent. He did snoop around D.C. for answers. He took William with him to the basement office and they looked through piles of X Files for answers and found none.   
William treasured the time with his biological father. So many of the files came with funny or dramatic stories about his parents that gave him a look into their lives.   
Mulder found himself watching William as he read the files and the boy fascinated him. He would smile whenever William muttered things to himself or had reactions to whatever files he opened.   
Mulder had not pictured having a family until Scully had asked him to father her child and even then it had been vague thoughts. After being brought back from the brink and seeing Scully’s condition he had actually started to imagine what being a father would be like. When he was on the run away from Scully and their infant son he would a lot of time day dreaming about raising William. He would picture the three of them in a country home, similar to the one they owned now. Sometimes he would imagine that they could even have more children. He would dream of teaching William to throw a ball and imagine spending late nights having a Star Wars marathon.   
When he was reunited with Scully and learned of William’s fate his heart broke into a million pieces. He never let Scully see how much it hurt lest she blame herself for his pain but as soon as she left his jail cell he would curl up into a ball and cry for hours over the loss of the life in his dreams.   
For Mulder pouring through the X Files with his teenage son was a dream. It was something he had always imagined. He told William about all of the creepy things they had seen and all of the amazing people they had met. It was all too good to be true.   
For her part Scully was a mixture of happy, sad, and stressed. There were times when the sadness at Leah’s loss came over her like a thick shroud and she would attempt to ignore it by working extra hard. The sadness would usually dissipate as soon as her son came into view. She would walk into the apartment and see Mulder’s dark head and a shorter lighter head. They would turn at the same moment to look at her and smile matching smiles.   
It was remarkable to Scully every time she looked into his eyes how similar they looked to the eyes of a young Fox Mulder. Seeing the resemblances had helped her, as they had never fully understood William’s origins.   
She had heard from Bill a week after the outbreak. He and his family were safe. They had begun to get sick but were able to get the cure before anyone died or was permanently damaged. It was not till three days after her call from Bill that she heard from Charlie reporting that they were all alive.   
Charlie was an aloof person who liked to joke around more than admit he was feeling anything. Like Bill, he too, was quick to anger but unlike their brother Charlie was of much better humor. So when she heard his voice break she knew not all was right.   
His daughter, Lilly, would be forever crippled from Polio. The doctors were not sure she would ever even walk again. Lilly was only 12 and might never walk again. Scully cried with her brother but was happy that they had all survived. Knowing that her family was safe had taken a large burden off her shoulders but there was still a lot that needed to be taken care of.   
Similar to her niece many people were cured but would forever feel the affects of what they had been infected with. On top of that each day more and more people were dying. All of the people who the colonists had deemed less significant. All they could do for these people is to make them comfortable while they died.   
Every day Scully would visit the morgue and her eyes would linger on the locker that held Leah Van De Kamp. She knew it was wrong of her to be taking up more space in the morgue but Scully would not budge on it. She was going to make sure that Leah was buried next to her husband and that was that. So while so many were cremated to make room for the rising body count Leah’s body remained. 

William lay in his new room and stared at the ceiling. The date to fly back to Wyoming had been set and in three days they would board a plane back to the only home he ever knew. It would be only for a visit, however.   
And a funeral…  
He thought bitterly.   
William rolled over and punched his pillow a few times making the small dog on the end of the bed jump off. When he exhausted himself he laid down on his stomach in a huff.   
Dagoo cocked his head to the side as if asking William if he was done with his outburst.   
“Come on.” William said and patted the bed.   
Dagoo jumped up next to William and walked in half a circle before settling into a ball.   
William looked at his cellphone and the texts that had been exchanged between him and his friends from home.   
They were all fine but some had lost people. The virus had hit them a few days later and the cure had been provided but many, like his own mother, had been doomed from the start. Talon had not lost his parents but had lost both of his grandparents. A seed of resentment ran through William upon hearing that his friend’s parents were healthy.   
Talon had seemed to be genuinely devastated at the news of Leah’s passing and was helpful to William but it didn’t seem fair that Talon got both his mom and dad while William had neither.   
You know that’s not true. You have Dana and Mulder.   
His inner voice chastised him.   
He couldn’t lie and say that he had not enjoyed his time with them. He found that Mulder had been able to easily distract him from the deep sadness. Nighttime was harder though. When they had been living in the apartment in D.C. Scully had been around at night more often and seemed to have a sixth sense for when he was awake and sad. She would come and sit with him until he fell asleep.   
So while William liked the little country house Dana had so far only spent one night there with them.   
It wasn’t that Mulder would not have helped him at night but Mulder was much more clueless on how to help William. He enjoyed his biological father and found that they could talk for hours about anything but there was a unexplainable peace that came when William was near Dana.   
The connection with his birth mother was strong and almost spiritual. He had known that for years but in person it was very different.   
His fingers found their way to the back of his neck where he felt his small scar. Maybe that can account for the connection.   
He thought for a moment and then shook it away. Whatever was in his neck was intended to track and monitor him, it was nothing good.   
He had asked many questions about it but had received few answers. From what he had gathered the story was this: Dana had been abducted by what they believe to be the government (or people working alongside the government). While she was abducted they planted a small pole in her neck and stole all of her ova. (William had known that she had not thought she was able to have children but hearing that it was because of the abduction had chilled him to the bone.) Some time after she was returned she found the implant and had it removed and analyzed which had yielded nothing. Dana had explained to him that removing it had caused her to be diagnosed with cancer and that her cure is still somewhat of a mystery. She steadfastly refused to remove or even examine whatever was in his neck because of her fear that it would hurt him.   
William knew there was more to the story but they refused to give more and he was not going to ask.   
It was obviously all very painful. William had a nightmare of Dana dying of cancer in a hospital bed the night after they had told him. He assumed that it was another vision.   
The visions had continued but were shorter and came at odd times. He used to only get them during sleep but now things would trigger a vision during the day. He told Mulder about his visions and his birth father listened seriously with an unblinking face and didn’t question a word of it. Dana, on the other hand, wanted an explanation for the visions. She didn’t necessarily doubt that he was having them but she worried that there was something potentially bad happening in his brain chemistry that was causing it. Mulder believed simply that William was gifted and did not need further explanations.   
William smiled at how different they were. He saw parts of himself in both of them but knew that he was more like his father when it came to believing in the unseen.   
William had been raised going to the Lutheran church near his home, which he had told Dana about. As soon as he was healthy enough she began to take him to Lutheran services on Sundays. It touched him that she did this because he knew that, while she was Catholic, she did not attend mass every Sunday. He knew that she was doing this out of respect and love for his parents and William didn’t mind. Going to church had never bothered him too much. He knew that it meant a lot to his mother and logically he knew it was only a couple hours out of his week.   
“Will?” Mulder’s yell rang through the house.   
“In here!” William responded without getting up.   
A few seconds passed before the door opened and Mulder stuck his head in, “You hungry? I was thinking that we could meet Scully for lunch.”   
William thought for a moment and realized that he was, in fact, quite hungry, “Yeah that sounds good.”


	22. Her New Assignment

Disclaimer: I do not own the X Files

Her New Assignment

2006

Officially she was dead. The story was that she had been found shot in her apartment. The syndicate had found a patsy to blame for her ‘death’ and the FBI called it a robbery gone badly.   
What a shitty way to die.   
Diana thought to herself as she applied her make up. She was older now, the lines on her face were clear but she looked good for her age. Her brown hair was strait and hung free around her face and she wore a yellow sundress. It was not really her style but she knew that she needed to look her part.  
Today would be her first day of her newest assignment and she was still not sure how she felt about it.   
After she was taken and her death was faked she was forced to go through some reeducation. It was not as bad as many because Spender had a soft spot for her but he felt it was best if she was retrained and sent somewhere faraway from Fox Mulder.   
She had continued her work with the shadow government by helping them document and keep track of the abductees and eventually assisted with the Super Soldier project.   
She had heard stories about the miracle child that Dana Scully had given birth to. She could not help but feel angry that this woman was given the life that she had wanted and there was a perverse pleasure that she got when she heard that the child had to be given up.   
Agent Scully was no fool and Diana knew that. She had known that if the syndicate and groups like it knew where her son was that they would eventually use him. Unfortunately for Dana the men against her, the men Diana worked with, had connections all over. The first social worker to take possession of William Scully was an enemy of Scully and Mulder. The social worker took the baby right to the men who wanted him. They did not want to hurt the child; they simply wanted to study him.   
So they planted a tracker in his neck that would feed information back to them periodically. The trouble was that they also wanted to be able to watch the child’s growth. They knew that Jeffery Spender had injected William with something that would stunt the growth of his powers but they also knew it wouldn’t last.   
They wanted someone there when William’s powers began to form.   
That is where Diana came in. She had requested the assignment and they were all to happy to hand it over to her. To Diana it was her way of being close to Fox.   
She knew that she had betrayed him on many levels and she was sure that he would never understand that everything she did, she did out of love. Yes she used him in a way but it was all for his own good and the good of mankind.   
She had known giving her key card to Scully had been the right choice but she hated it that Scully was then his savior. She had known of Fox’s feelings for Dana Scully as soon as she had seen them but she felt that she had put up a good fight. She had almost had him for a while there but there was something about the short red head that kept drawing him back.   
It had annoyed Diana to no end and the Smoking Man had assured her that eventually Agent Scully would be out of the picture but in the end it was Diana who was taken out of the picture.   
She reviewed her part in her head. She was a new member of the Casper first Christian Church and she was told to get close to the Van De Kamps. She pulled up in front of the church and took a quick look in the mirror. She ran her fingers through her hair and adjusted the sun hat on her head.   
Perfect. She thought to herself.   
As soon as she entered the church she had seen William. He was running around the small church building with a few other children playing tag. His light strawberry blond hair blew as he ran through the small crowd, dodging adults who laughed at his antics. She had seen a picture of him but she would have known him without a picture. He looked like Fox.   
She sighed and scanned the room for Mr. and Mrs. Van De Kamp. Her eyes landed on the couple.   
The woman had short dark brown hair and a petite figure. She wore a flowered dress that went past her knees and modest heels. Her husband was balding slightly but had a handsome enough face. He wore a shabby looking suit and looked like he would have been more comfortable in a pair of jeans.   
Diana walked toward them trying to look aimless and out of place. She grabbed a bulletin and stood near them reading it and occasionally looking up. She saw Leah Van De Kamp noticing her out of the corner of her eye. The woman took her husband’s hand and made her way over to Diana.   
“Hello, are you new here? I don’t believe I have seen you before. I am Leah Van De Kamp.” The simple but pretty woman said as she smiled and held out her hand.   
“You have a good eye! Yes I am new. New to town and new to the faith actually. Trying to start over you know? I am Diana Lewis.” Diana responded kindly and shook Leah’s hand.   
“This is my husband Daniel, we both grew up in this town going to this church. It is so nice to see a fresh face!”   
“Mom!” William ran up to them out of breath, “Can I go with Talon’s house after church?”  
Leah looked at him with the look only a mother can give and then looked back at Diana, “Diana this is our son William. Will…” She said his name warningly to tell him to focus for a minute.   
William turned to Diana as if just noticing her and smiled holding out a small hand, “Hi. Nice to meet you.”   
Diana could tell that he was still distracted but she thought it was so cute that he shook her hand. He was wearing a blue polo shirt with kaki pants and his hair was a mess on his head.   
“Nice to meet you William.” Diana responded taking his small hand in hers.   
William turned back to Leah, “Mom? Please!”   
“Did he ask his parents?”   
“Yep!” William turned and pointed to another couple with a small boy that looked to be Williams’s age. The boy tugged at his mother who turned and looked to Leah. She nodded her head and smiled silently communicating in secret mother language.   
Leah sighed, “Fine. But I want you home by dinner. Be good!” She said the last part louder as William ran back to his friend yelling, “She said yes!”   
The two boys high fived and resumed running around.   
“He is adorable.” Diana said sincerity.   
“An adorable trouble maker!” Leah said affectionately as she watched her son.   
A man stood up and asked the congregation to begin to find their way to their seats.   
Leah turned, “Would you like to sit with us?”   
“Yes that sounds wonderful.”   
Almost too easy. Diana thought with a smile. 

As the years went by Diana was a casual friend of the family. She did not spend much time with William who was usually out of the house anyways. He was an active boy with an active imagination.   
He and his friends would run around the house playing out one fantasy or another that was thought of by William.   
Diana never saw anything too strange about William but Leah would share some odd stories that had to do with William. She would share that William seemed to know what she was thinking sometimes and that it felt like he almost could see through people.   
That had worried Diana, as he got older. She kept her distance from him in fear that he would figure out her real place in his life.   
When William began to dream of Scully Leah had shared it with her. Diana had fought a grimace as she heard about the detailed visions of his birth mother. She, of course, knew that the visions were real but she tired to convince Leah that they meant nothing. She could tell that Leah didn’t believe that.   
It was only a few weeks later that both Leah and William disappeared to D.C.   
Diana was in a panic as her bosses contacted her that the outbreak had started in D.C. and other major cities.   
They sent a private jet to pick her up in the middle of nowhere. The jet ride felt like forever to Diana and when they finally arrived the scale of the destruction was amazing. She was able to make it to the hospital where Scully worked by pure luck and short cuts.   
She hid in the shadows of the hospital and was not sure what to do as she watched Dana Scully move from patient to patient-running check ups. Finally Scully left the room and turned down a hall. Diana followed behind from a distance and was careful not to be caught. She watched as Dana entered a hospital room and slowly moved closer as she stayed close to the wall. When she got next to the door she was flat against the wall. She could hear soft conversation from within and could tell that Scully’s back was to her. She moved her head to take a quick look in.   
She saw Scully sitting in a chair next to Leah Van De Kamp looking at two hospital beds in front of them.   
One held a defeated looking Mulder and the other an unconscious but healthy looking William.   
Diana felt her heart race as her eyes rested on Fox and she had to calm herself.   
She was still not sure what to do. Her bosses were so distracted by the outbreak that they had only told her to follow the kid but had yet to give further instruction.   
Diana walked away from the room quietly so she would not be caught. She knew that she would be able to hide in the chaos of the hospital and keep an eye on William. She was not sure what she would do from there.


	23. Headlights

Disclaimer: I don’t own the X Files.

Headlights

A feeling of rare peace washed over Scully as she walked through the front door of the small country house she and Mulder owned.   
Home.  
It had never stopped being home but it had been about a year since she had lived there and now William was there.   
They were a family now. She knew it was a lot more complicated than that. There was pain and grief that came along with it but she couldn’t help smiling when she saw Mulder and William sitting at the kitchen table completely enthralled in a game of Stratego.   
They had not noticed her yet so she stayed quiet for a moment and just enjoyed the scene before her.   
It was a perfect case of nature vs. nurture to watch William with Mulder. He shared so many of Mulder’s mannerisms that Scully would sometimes feel her heart clench when she saw them.   
William looked up for a moment and brightened, “Dana!”   
Scully smiled and walked into the kitchen to give him a kiss on the head.   
Mulder turned to smile at her, “How ya doin’ doc?”   
She rolled her eyes at him but smiled, “I am fine. Glad to finally be home.”   
It had been almost a week since she had slept anywhere but the hospital.   
“We made dinner for you.” Mulder said gesturing to the oven.   
Scully looked at him and their son in surprise and went over to see what was in there.   
She was surprised to find warming lasagna.   
“Sorry we started without you but we were hungry after all that work.” Mulder said with a smile in his voice.   
“Thank you for saving some! I won’t be poisoned will I?” She asked eying the boys.   
“If we poisoned you who would get the groceries?” Mulder asked sarcastically and was rewarded with a swat to the head.   
“I’m goanna change first and then eat. Be right back.”   
Scully smiled to herself. Mulder had cooked for her before when he would randomly get romantic but for them it was usually frozen or boxed dinners. Mulder was never the most thoughtful person in the world but when the mood struck him it was always a nice surprise.   
Scully debated taking a shower but put it off when she felt her stomach rumble. She threw on a pair of jeans and an old sweatshirt and went out to eat.   
After dinner they opened a tub of ice cream and watched the newest Star Wars (which Mulder had pre-ordered after seeing it for the third time).   
William sat on the floor next to Dagoo eating strait out of the tub. Scully knew that they were spoiling.   
Mulder and Scully sat on the couch, Mulder’s arm rested casually behind her as they ate from their own bowls of ice cream.   
As the movie progressed Scully found her eyes getting heavier and tried to stay awake but the next thing she knew she was waking up in Mulder’s arms as he carried her to their bed.   
She closed her eyes and snuggled a bit in his chest.   
The next time she woke up was not so pleasant. She heard William’s screams before in her dreams before she even woke up and as soon as she did she was out of bed faster than she had ever been. She had a vague sense of Mulder following quickly behind her but all her thoughts were on their son who was still crying out.   
They entered to see him sitting up in bed with his hands on the back of his neck. Tears were running down his face and Scully could tell he was in pain, she could feel it. But not just as a mother feels her child’s pain she could actually feel the pain in the back of her neck as well. She was grabbing at the back of her neck and collapsing toward William when Mulder grabbed her up and brought her to the bed.   
She could hear the sound of his voice but couldn’t register anything he said.   
She knew that she was yelling in pain but she didn’t couldn’t tell if any of it was coherent.   
Scully moved toward William with all the strength she had in her body but fell across the bed before she could attend to him.   
Mulder rushed to William and removed the boys hands from his neck. She saw him blanch and look up at her in worry. He moved toward her and turned her so he could see her neck.   
Scully could see his mouth moving but didn’t know what he was saying so she just shook her head.   
Mulder ran out of the room and came back with a cell phone to his ear. He paced the room and talked passionately into the phone. Scully felt reality slipping away and she grabbed for William’s hand. The last thing she saw before the blackness came was the flash of headlights roll through the dark room and Mulder turning in surprise.


	24. Perfection

Disclaimer: I don’t own the X Files

Perfection 

 

The day was beautiful, probably the most beautiful of the summer and Mulder smiled into the breeze as he watched Scully pulling William around the lake as his tiny arms hung on to a floating ring. His little feet kicked and splashed awkwardly in the water and his smile took up his whole face.   
Mulder felt a tiny hand grab on to his and he looked down to see Annie putting a sand shovel in his hand. The three year old squatted next to him in the way that toddlers do and patted the sand as she babbled on. It was the perfect day.   
Scully turned to smile at him and it took his breath away for a moment. She was in a black one piece and her red hair blew in the wind, as she looked his way.   
He watched as she grabbed up William and tossed him gently into the water per his command. The five year old bobbed back to the top holding his nose as he also tried to doggy paddle. Scully laughed and took him up again and waited a moment before tossing him up again.   
Their son had been taking swim lessons for about a year now and swam like a fish. He was brave in the face of any new challenge and after only a couple lessons had jumped into the public pool without floties or warning and gave his mother a heart attack.   
He didn’t care if he couldn’t swim yet, he believed he could, he didn’t swim of course and Dana had slipped into the pool after him seconds after he hit the water.   
Annie on the other hand was much more careful. She preferred to study the water before she decided how she felt about it. For now they had an uneasy alliance but she would never tolerate being thrown into the water. She preferred to stay on the sand and build castles with her daddy who she had proclaimed to be the best castle digger.   
Her pale blond hair was pulled into a tiny ponytail on her head and she was covered from head to toe in sand.   
The scene changed quickly to one of Mulder walking into a dark rustic room only lit up by a fire in the stone fireplace. He saw Scully sitting on the couch with a glass of wine. She looked up at him with a smile and pointed to a glass for him that was sitting on the end table. He took it and sat next to her, he put his arm around her and pulled her close.   
“They asleep?” She asked quietly.   
“They were out like a light before I even finished the book. We need to buy a pool.” He smiled down at her.   
“Amazing. Well we have so much time left in the evening. What to do…” She looked up with a smile and he took her wine glass and placed it on the table with his before he took her into his arms and laid her on the couch.   
Life was perfect he realized as he woke up the next morning to two laughing children crawling into the bed. His little girl crawled her way into his arms and clung to him as William jumped up and down proclaiming his desire to go to the beach.   
Mulder laughed and pulled Annie closer to him. She was young enough still that a bit of her baby smell clung to her and it made Mulder’s heart melt.   
His son was his best friend but he had known from the moment the doctor had said ‘it’s a girl’ that he was a goner.   
His eyes shot open.   
This is too perfect. He thought as he watched Scully pull William down and begin to tickle him. Nothing has ever been this perfect for us. How did we get here? Where are we even? How do we have two children?  
Questions ran through his mind and slowly the images in front of him began to fade away and he opened his eyes to see that he was in some sort of hospital room strapped to a cot.   
He panicked and pulled at his restraints. A familiar voice stopped him, “Fox you are just going to hurt yourself. Please don’t make this too hard.”   
“Diana?” He asked amazed as the woman he thought to be dead came into the room where he was being held.   
“You do this every time you wake up Fox. Just stay calm and soon you will be back to the dream.”   
“Where is Scully?” He asked and then asked more fearfully, “Where’s William?”  
“Both are fine. Fox your son is so special just like you and your father. He was made for great things but I don’t think that you and Scully were prepared to take on all of the prep and training that he would need.”   
“Where are they?” He asked ignoring her.   
“Safe. Dana even has a new life. She remembers nothing Fox. You were not as easy to convince so we had to put you under.”   
“You’re lying.”  
“I’m not saying she went willingly. I have a nasty bite mark she gave me but after a few days of medication and hypnotism she has moved on.”  
Mulder didn’t know what to say and wasn’t even sure that he believed her. Images began to fill his brain and he started to remember.   
He didn’t know how long it had been since the night that he had woken to William’s cries of pain but it felt like forever.   
He remembered Scully succumbing to the same pain and he knew that he called Skinner but just got voicemail.   
Then he remembered the cars pulling into their driveway and all of the armed men in black entering the house. He fought them off but didn’t have his gun. They carried William and Scully away easily as both were unconscious at that point.   
Mulder fought until they knocked him out with a blow to the head.   
He remembered them trying to convince him of a new life and make him forget his old one but it wouldn’t take.   
Since then he had been in and out of a man made fantasy.   
His heart hurt, as he fully understood that the life from the dream was all a beautiful lie. Part of him longed to go back but he knew his real family was out there somewhere in trouble.   
A doctor he didn’t recognize came to his bedside with a syringe, “Relax Agent Mulder soon everything will be alright again.”   
He heard Diana asking the doctor, “How does he keep waking up? I thought you said it was all ready.”   
“Well every time he begins to question it he wakes up. We might need to make the vision more realistic.”   
“But I want him to be happy.”   
“Well apparently when he is too happy he know that something is wrong. We can’t just keep injecting him or he will build an immunity.”   
“Fine I will have them tweak it a bit but it better work.”   
“I make no promises Ms. Fowl.”  
A man in a suit entered as the doctor left.   
“I have a few things that you will need to change…”   
The conversation began to fade as he started to lose control of his mind.   
A few minutes passed before the man in the suit sat next to the bed, “Agent Mulder I am going to take you to your happy place. A lake house with a beach…”


	25. Phoenix

Disclaimer: I do not own the X Files (I wish.)

Phoenix

Dr. Dana Scully woke up confused and didn’t know where she was. It took her a few seconds before she realized that she was in the apartment that she shared with her live-in boyfriend, Scott.   
Arizona. I live in Phoenix Arizona.   
She looked around the room and didn’t see her mysterious boyfriend.. She couldn’t picture him in her head for some reason and she didn’t know where he was.   
This seemed to happen every morning. Dana had been in a car accident a couple weeks before and the doctor had told her that some memory loss and confusion was expected.   
She didn’t remember the accident at all but she had a few broken ribs and bruises and had frequent headaches.   
She still found herself often feeling uncomfortable in her skin. The only time she felt comfortable was at the hospital. She took a few days to heal and then got back to work, she found it strange but didn’t question it too much.   
She felt like she was in a fog as she got ready for work and couldn’t wait to get there and feel normal for a little while.   
She heard shrill ringing from across the room and realized that it must be her cell phone. She looked at it and saw Scott’s name flash across the screen.   
She debated picking it up but didn’t have the energy to pretend to know him.   
She stumbled around the room trying to find everything she needed for her morning routine.   
After her shower she looked sadly at the counter and wondered which toothbrush was hers.   
Blue and orange… Which color do I like better? What’s his favorite color?  
She pondered it for too long and finally just picked the orange one. She knew logically it should not gross her out too much considering that it belonged to a man she was living with but she was irrationally uncomfortable with it.   
She knew logically they must have been sleeping together but she couldn’t remember it.   
As she began to get dressed she felt a flash of pain in her head. The pain knocked her to the bed and she held the bridge of her nose.   
Quick images filled her head.   
It was a man, but not the man who she was living with. The man in her mind felt familiar and safe. He touched her body in all the right places and the way he looked at her sent chills down her spine. She felt the love between them and wanted to cry.   
Who is he? Who is he?   
She pushed her fists against either side of her head and rocked back and forth. Tears ran down her face as she mourned the loss of a man that she never knew.   
As the pain in her head began to subside she curled up into a ball on the bed and cried. 

She was late to work and was rushing in feeling on edge. However, no one mentioned anything. It seemed like they were aware of her injury and were giving her slack.   
She put her things away in her locker after stopping for a moment and not recognizing the room. The image of another hospital locker room entered her mind and left quickly. She cursed under her breath and wondered how she could be a useful doctor if she couldn’t even remember her locker.   
Heck I couldn’t even remember my way to work.   
She thought bitterly sending up a prayer of thanks for smartphones.   
The day was fine considering. She would vaguely remember her co-workers but couldn’t really remember personal details about them. It was like she knew them from a dream.   
Dana worked in a small hospital outside of the city in a very isolated spot. The commute turned out to be nearly 45 minutes.  
She walked into a lab that she recognized as her place of work and sat at a desk that had her name on it. On her desk were different papers, reports, and requests for testing.   
She knew this part of her life. She understood science and that was her job. So while the rest of the world was spiraling out of control science was her touchstone.   
Touchstone…  
The word brushed across her mind and she whispered it out loud.   
‘Even when the world was falling apart, you were my constant. My touchstone.’  
It was a memory, this she knew. Dana also knew the voice in this memory even though she had not seen the face. It was the same man from her visions earlier.   
Who is he? A former lover? A current lover?  
She hated to think that she would be cheating but she felt like she didn’t know herself enough to be totally sure. Dana pondered this man but as she did she found that she couldn’t remember his face and she went through the day the harder it became to remember his voice. Eventually all she knew is that she had memories of another man but she couldn’t recall them. She knew that by the end of the day she would forget about it all together.   
When she realized that a cold fear ran up her spine. She didn’t know why but she knew that she couldn’t forget this man.   
Not again.  
Dana quickly went to her desk and searched for scratch paper. She realized with a smile that she could just put it all into her phone. For the second time that day she was happy for technology. She typed up all she could remember about the visions she had seen and wrote a reminder to keep a record of future visions.   
I won’t forget you.  
She promised the man hopelessly knowing it was a promise that she would break.


	26. Reunion

Disclaimer: I don’t own the X Files

Reunion 

 

William didn’t remember how he got to the facility but he knew he needed to get out. His last memory was of the pain in his neck and his mother, also in pain, reaching for him.   
Next thing he knew he was waking up tied to a hospital bed. He had sensors stuck all over his head that was attached to a machine next to him that he could hear but not see. His head was being held in place and he was unable to see anything but the ceiling.   
He opened his mouth but nothing came out but a gurgle. It felt like he had not used his voice in weeks.   
How long have I been asleep?   
He thought to himself warily.   
He opened his mouth again, ”Help…” it was all that he could manage before his throat closed up again.   
William closed his eyes and tried to think of how he got there.   
The image of his mom came before his eyes. She had seldom left his mind in the weeks after her death and for the first few moments of awareness he had forgotten but now it came crashing back.   
Not only was his mom gone but also so were his biological parents. At least he was pretty sure they were. Maybe not dead but they were gone from him.   
For now.   
The sound of a door opening made him jump and Will tried to move his head again forgetting his limitations.   
“William, how are you feeling?” The voice was familiar but he could not place it, “I am sorry for all of the restraints. We did not want you to wake up and panic or hurt yourself.”   
The woman’s footsteps came near him and William tensed up.   
“Let me get these…” He felt the restraints on his ankles being loosened and then the ones on his wrist.   
He still could not see the mysterious woman until she leaned over him to remove the restraints that held his head in place.   
“Miss. Lewis?” This old friend of his mothers was the last person he had expected to see. It had, in fact, never entered his mind.   
He had never spent much time with her but she was around for much of his childhood.   
“Hello William. I am so sorry for all of this confusion! When my people and I found you, you were in so much pain and we needed to get you to a safe place right away. You are safe now.”   
William began to sit up, “Where are my parents?” He was not sure if he should be angry or not, he was mostly confused.   
“They are safe.”  
“That’s not really an answer.” Suspicion began to rise in William. Something was not right.   
“William… You are gifted. I am sure you have known that for most of your life but I am not sure that you fully understand how special you are. I know that your parents didn’t. The truth is that you need to be with people who understand and appreciate your gifts, people who can foster your special abilities, and your parents are just not equipped for that.”  
“Where are they?” He was beginning to get angry and it was showing in his voice. She tried to touch his shoulder and he jerked away.   
“We have given them new lives, happy lives.”   
“You are full of shit! Where are they?” William finally broke and yelled at her. She didn’t react or seem surprised at his outburst.   
“So much like your father. Such a righteous anger.”  
“You know my father?”  
Her smile brought a small shiver down his spine, “I know your father very well. There is no need to worry about him. I will take care of him.”   
“I want to see them.”   
“Eventually you can see your father but I want to make sure that you are calmed down before you can leave the room.”   
“What about Dana?” His voice sounded more desperate than he intended.  
“She has a new life. A simple life which is what she has wanted for some time.”   
“No she wanted a life with us, she said so.”   
“Well yes she did but she wanted a life without all of the craziness that comes with you and your father. There was no way for her to have that life, we have given it to her.”   
“You’re a liar! You don’t care about her or what she wants! Where are they?”  
Diana brushed her hand over his hair and he pulled away, “William I would like for you to get some rest before we start your training. Once you have calmed down and have a clear head you can see them.”   
She waved in a doctor and William began to panic. Two more men dressed in suits came in and held him down while the doctor injected something into his IV.   
“No!” William continued to struggle.   
“I’m sorry William. Soon you will understand.” Diana looked at him sadly and left the room.   
William’s mind spun as blackness overtook him.


	27. Reality

Disclaimer: I don’t own the X Files

Reunion

Scott had tried so hard to get lucky that Dana finally gave in. She couldn’t remember the last time she had sex. With him it felt unnatural like she had did not really want to. In the middle of it she would get flashes of the man from her dreams and find herself wishing it was his hands instead of Scott’s.  
When he finished Dana cleaned up and then pretended to fall asleep.  
“I love you Dana.” Scott whispered and kissed her hair.  
She stayed silent and kept her breath even but she felt that he knew she was faking. Once his breathing became regular Dana felt she could relax. She knew it would be a near sleepless night.  
She got up out of bed and retrieved a small journal that she had been keeping to describe all of her visions.  
So far there was not much but she added to it:  
Scott initiated sex tonight. I did not enjoy it and I am not a good actress. The only time it was nice was when I thought of the man from my dreams. I still do not know much. Same description, same scars, same everything except a goddamned name. I could feel it on the tip of my tong but can’t recall it.  
Having nothing else to add she dated it and stored it away quickly. She went back to bed and was happy to see Scott fast asleep.  
She got in softly and laid facing away from him. Sleep came surprisingly fast. 

 

Mulder watched Scully doing Annie’s hair in the master bathroom. They were preparing for the traditional Christmas dinner with the Scully clan but this time it was to take place at their house. Mulder was not looking forward to it but seeing his daughter’s smile lightened his mood.  
Despite being married to Scully for nearly eight years Bill Scully refused to treat him like a member of the family which was always fun at the holidays.  
He could hear William in his bedroom down the hall playing with the new toys from Santa rather than getting ready. He decided to give the boy a few extra minutes of fun before he made him get ready.  
“Mulder can you check on the turkey for me?” Scully asked, her voice slightly muffled by the two bobby pins in her mouth.  
Mulder smiled and walked over to her. He placed his hand on her waist and planted a small kiss on her shoulder before taking his exit to check on the food.  
Once he was assured that the turkey was cooking fine he stood in their kitchen for a moment.  
He had a sudden feeling of otherness, like he didn’t belong there. He listened to the soft voices and movements of his family upstairs and he had the realization that he had often:  
This isn’t real.  
He sighed and sat down putting his head in his hands.  
Two arms wrapped around his middle and he felt Scully’s lips against his ear.  
“Are you ok?” She asked softly.  
He turned around quickly and saw the concern in her eyes. They looked so real, they looked just like her eyes, but he knew that they were not.  
He knew that somewhere the real Scully was out there and Diana was doing god knows what to her.  
As Scully’s familiar hands found his face he wondered for a moment if this was so bad. Maybe Diana had Scully in a similar state, living a dream life.  
Or maybe Diana has killed her.  
That thought brought his blood pressure up and the image of a young motherly Scully disappeared replaced by the hospital ceiling.  
“Damnit! Diana where is the real Scully?” He didn’t see her in the room but he knew there were cameras watching. He felt manic and was not sure how much more of this beautiful fake life he could take before he gave in. He supposed that was the point of all of this: To drive him into oblivion.  
Mulder could hear Diana’s footsteps coming down the hall when he heard a soft voice in his mind.  
“Mulder don’t resist for now. I will get you out of here I promise. Scully said I had let you down while I don’t agree I will not let them do this to you. I need time to get Scully and to get to William before they have control. We will come for you…”  
Mulder knew the voice even though it was much older and deeper, Gibson Praise.  
By that point Diana and a doctor had entered the room and were starting the process over.  
“Gibson…” The whisper that came from his lips was almost inaudible but Diana heard it before he fell into unconsciousness and felt the hair on her arms rise. The war was coming.


	28. Her Baby

Disclaimer: I don’t own the X Files, sadly. 

Her Baby

William lost track of time. In the facility he could never tell if it was day or night. He thought that this was a way for them to control him even more, to keep him in the dark. It had been a few days (or so he guessed) after he woke up when Diana let him roam the floor of the hospital like place where he was staying.  
There was not much to see, it was mostly empty rooms and locked offices. There was a library with limited access to the Internet. He could play video games if he wanted to but his phone was taken from him.  
Every day a woman would come and sit in his room and try to talk to him. Diana claimed that the woman was a therapist who was there to help him emotionally and to also help develop his powers.  
“William, look at me.” The ‘therapist’, Shelly, was sitting across the table from him trying to engage him.  
William just ignored her and continued to stare at the table.  
“Do you want to see your parents?” This question got his attention.  
He looked up at her but didn’t respond.  
“I can teach you how to tap into your powers. You will be able to read minds, move things with your mind, and even, if you are able to become powerful enough, control people.”  
“I’m not interested in any of that crap. I just want to see Dana and Mulder.” William looked at her seriously.  
“If you want to see them you better become interested.” The woman leaned forward.  
‘William I am trying to help you.’  
He heard her voice in his head and his eyes grew wide.  
‘Don’t react or say anything just listen.’ William did as she said, ‘I am on your side. I’m like you, special. My parents were murdered by these people and they raised me. I won’t let it happen to you. Your parents are alive and safe for the moment. I am working with others who care and are trying to help them. For now I need you to trust me and let my friends help them.’  
William had so many questions but knew that he couldn’t ask, “Who?” He whispered it.  
She looked at him sternly and answered first out loud, “Whom I work for is none of your business for now.”  
‘Friends of your parents.’  
William’s eyebrow went up to show that wasn’t enough of an answer.  
‘Walter Skinner is keeping track of your mother. I doubt you know the rest. It is not important now.’  
William frownd at her and wondered why she couldn’t read his mind if she was so great.  
‘I can only hear snippits and really only if you are trying to get me to hear them or if they are especially loud. I am not very powerful, but you will be.’  
William decided to try this silent communication, ‘I don’t want power. I just want to go home.’  
The woman looked at him sadly, ‘There is a war coming William. We all will need to choose sides. You have the power to change the world and save the planet.’  
‘Who are you really working for?’  
‘The situation is too complicated to explain now.’  
Her actual voice broke him out of a trance that he had fallen into, “William I am proud that you tried today. I know it is hard but soon you might be able to even hear a thought.”  
She tried to look cheery and held out her hand to shake his. William just looked at it and crossed his arms while sliding down in the chair.  
“Well I will see you tomorrow. Keep up your mental exercises!”  
William watched her walk out and then turned to look at the camera that had been watching them. He walked up close and held up his middle finger to the camera and without a word went back to his room. 

 

“Don’t take my baby! He’s mine don’t take him!” Dana woke up screaming from a nightmare that she forgot as soon as she opened her eyes.  
Scott was looking at her concerned and tried to wrap his arms around her but she srugged them off.  
“Are you ok sweetie? What was your nightmare?” He asked as she got up to get some water.  
“I’m fine and I don’t remember.” She said flatly.  
“You were yelling about a baby that was yours like people were trying to take it from you.”  
“Well I don’t remember my dream but it sounds weird. Head injuries can really screw a person up.”  
Scott looked at her for a moment and it made her uncomfortable. It was like he was studying her and trying to figure out if she was lying.  
He finally just sighed and nodded, “Let me know if you remember anything.” He leaned forward and planted a kiss on her forehead, “Love you Danes.”  
Scott quietly moved onto his side and fell asleep quite quickly.  
Dana looked at him for a while as she finished her water.  
She didn’t know much about him but she figured it was due to memory loss. She knew facts like where he went to school, the names of his family, and where he grew up but she didn’t know how he liked his coffee, or what his favorite song was. She didn’t know the things that a girlfriend should know.  
She wondered how much he knew about her.  
When Dana finished her water she turned off the light and laid on her back. She stared at the ceiling and tried to remember her dream. Something about a baby.  
My baby.  
She thought and a rush of tears came to her eyes though she didn’t know why.  
Dana had known for years that she couldn’t have children and she had found her peace with that. It was why she had rarely dated and had not been in a serious relationship for a long time.

She glanced at Scott and wondered again about her life.


	29. Focus

Disclaimer: I love the X Files but I don't own them.

Note: Thank you to Kyouryoku Senshi for being my beta!

Focus

William was miserable. He didn't know how much time had passed, it was impossible to tell day from night. The constant tests and forced therapy didn't help either. There was nothing consistent about the schedule and it threw him off.

Sometimes it would feel like days before he saw another person and then he would be forced to spend all day with on 'trainer' or another.

As time flew by, he began to actually learn how to grow his powers. Shelly, who still was claiming to be his ally, was able to improve his range of hearing.

Currently, he was working on trying to move a pencil with his mind.

He had done it before, but he was under stress in this place. Shelly would tell him to clear his mind and be calm when he was trying to use his powers, but it was hard to do that when you were trapped in some sort of secret test facility wondering if your parents were even alive.

William focus. Shelly's voice came into his mind.

He squeezed his eyes shut and felt the anger in him. Instead of trying to remain calm, he used it.

The pencil flew across the room and imbedded itself in the wall.

Shelly was speechless with her mouth hanging wide open when William opened his eyes.

"I'm done for today. I want to see Diana," William said standing up.

"William that was great! But you are not done and I am sure that she is busy right now," Shelly was scrambling to get up behind him.

"I don't care! I am sick of this! Where are my parents?!"

The table in the room began to shake along with the chairs. Shelly looked paniced and ran for a button on the wall and pushed it as one of the chairs lifted of the ground.

"I want to see my parents! NOW!"

"William, calm down! You can't lose control!" Shelly said backing against the wall making futive glances toward the door.

"I've been calm and have gotten no answers! Maybe you will all pay attention if I just let go!"

By this point, the table was also off of the ground and William was getting madder by the second.

In a flurry, the door burst open and three large men came into the room holding stun guns. Shelly ran out of the room as two of them grabbed William. They held him down until one was hit over the chair with one of the flying chairs.

William pulled free and began to run.

The hallway was shaking with energy and the glass windows on many of the doors burst as he ran by.

William was pretty fast but the men were faster, he knew it would not be long before they caught him no matter how many windows he broke.

"Mulder!" He shouted as he ran. Diana had indicated that Mulder was in the same building. It was impossible to tell how big the place was but shouting was worth a try.

"Mulder! Help!" William continued to scream, but he was running out of breath.

One of the men finally was close enough to grab hold of William and throw him down on the ground.

"DAD!" William screamed before one of the men's giant hands covered his mouth. All three held him down as one administered to him a drug that quickly put him to sleep. His last thoughts were of finding his birth parents.

"Mulder?"  
Mulder looked up from his desk to see his wife standing in the doorway smiling at him happily with her hands behind her back.

"Hey, what's up?" He asked leaning back in his chair as she approached.

She came to sit down on his lap and wrapped an arm around his neck.

"I have a surprise for you. Close your eyes."

He did as he was told.

"Ok, open."

When he opened his eyes he was looking at a pregnancy test that read positive. He stared at it for a moment and then it all hit him. He jumped up out of the chair cradling Scully in his arms and kissing her.

They looked happily at one another in between kisses until everything fell apart.

"MULDER!"

The screams were loud in his head and terrifying. The worst part is that Scully didn't even seem to hear the screams she kept smiling at him.

Then he remembered, once again, that none of this was real. Something was disturbing him this time.

"MULDER!"

The image of a smiling young Scully disappeared before his eyes.

"No please! Please I want to stay!" Mulder shouted into the air.

He didn't want it to end. He knew where he would wake up, a nightmare. He would wake alone in a hospital room and all over again would feel the fear for his partner and son.

Despite this the screams continued for another moment until he finally heard the last call, which was louder and more desperate than the others.

"DAD!"

Mulder knew that voice, it was his son. His son was yelling for him; he was in trouble. The fantasy didn't seem to matter anymore.

"William. William!" He began to yell as he started to wake.

His eyes opened to see his own body struggling under the restraints holding him in place.

"William!" He shouted, or at least intended to shout. It came out like a stage whisper.

Diana entered the room quickly with fury in her eyes. She didn't bother to say anything as a nurse followed behind her and administered the drug that would bring him back to the false reality.

He was again torn between the beautiful fake life and the real one where he knew his son needed help.

"Where is William? I heard him! Where is he?" Mulder said thrashing around.

"Fox, William is fine. That is in your mind. Go back, everything will be alright," Diana said seeming suddenly softer. She stroked his face and hair and spoke in a calming voice.

"Let me take care of you, Fox. Everything will be alright," she said as she kissed his forehead.

The room began to swim and everything looked fuzzy to him, "Everything… alright…"

He started to relax but the memory of William's desperate cries came to him again, "William… I need to find my son…" His heart clenched, as he felt helpless. "I need to find Scully… My Scully… Real Scully… Where is she?"

Diana's voice took on a harder tone, "She is fine, Fox. She has moved on with her life."

"Lies… she will come for me… Scully…"

There was so much he wanted to add but his mind and body were failing him. Darkness overtook him and he cursed himself for letting it happen.


	30. Rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge thank you to Kyouryoku Senshi for being my beta! These next chapters are going to be quick moving but hopefully good! Please review if you are enjoying my story thank you for reading!

Disclaimer: I don't own the X Files

 

Rescue

 

Tipton, Iowa.

Scully rolled the name of the town around in her head. It was tiny and unknown; a perfect place to hide a secret facility.

She had tried to sleep on the plane and then again on the car ride to the middle of nowhere, but every time she closed her eyes, images of the past filled her mind. The last time she had spoken out loud was to ask Skinner how much longer they had.

Just twenty more minutes.

She was watching the clock and marking the minutes.

Nineteen…

Eighteen…

Seventeen…

The complete lack of sleep caught up to her for the last fifteen minutes and she fell into an uneasy rest.

Skinner had not tried to ask her about her life or tried to get her to talk at all.

He could sense the anger, anxiety, and sadness rolling off of her in waves. He felt the anger as well. It was hot in his belly and as he thought about it his fists tightened around the wheel turning his knuckles white.

Walter Skinner had loved Dana Scully for years. Not so much as a romantic longing to be with her as much as a strong admiration and feeling of protectiveness. Although he would be lying if he said he had never wanted to be with her. But he had known for a long time that her heart belonged to Mulder.

They were meant to be together, it was natural, which was why he was doing this. Tearing the two of them apart was a crime in his eyes; it had happened too often. On top of that, was the fact that William was involved.  
Skinner had cared for and been protecting William before he was born. Seeing the gangly teen had been amazing to him.  
The kid was sharp and funny. William always seemed to know what was going on no matter how hard everyone tried to keep him in the dark.

When William looked at you it was like he was looking right through your body to your soul. He remembered having a similar experience with William when he was just a baby. The memory of William's blue baby eyes penetrating his armor was one that had always stuck with him.

No one was going to hurt that kid if Skinner had anything to say about it. He would kill before he would let them hurt him.  
He would not let Scully kill, however.

He looked over at her and knew that she would kill the people responsible in an instant.

But she would regret it later. She was not a life taker.

He would not let her kill them. If they were going to die, it would be by his hand.

Gibson waited a few miles from the building that housed Mulder, William, and countless others that the new syndicate was trying to hide.

He stood outside his car waiting on Skinner and Scully. He could hear them coming from the moment they landed in Des Moines.

Both were filled with anger, but Scully's anger frightened him. He had heard her mind angry before. It was hard to get the serious red head truly angry, but he had seen it and it was not something anyone wanted to stand in the way of. He hoped that she would keep herself controlled and not jeopardize the plan at all.

Gibson's allies knew about this side mission and did not approve. They did not believe he should be getting involved in human problems and should not be engaging the other side at such a critical time in their cold war.

The experiments that were being done were happening to help the new syndicate, the new shadow government, improve their super soldiers. The purpose was to defeat the aliens.

Despite their disapproval, Gibson could not sit back and let it happen. He had kept tabs on Scully and Mulder since he had seen her on the day the world fell apart. When the little house in the country was overtaken by a shadow army, Gibson had been awakened by their internal screams from hundreds of miles away.

He'd been in New York at the time, but the connection was strong. He didn't know what was wrong, but he knew he needed to find out and help them.

By the time he was free to help, the Gunmen and Skinner had already been looking. He helped them narrow down locations on all three. When he found the place where Mulder and William were being held, he went to see how close he could get.  
He knew that they were holding gifted individuals in there.

The stolen generation.

This is what the aliens called them, the children like William. They all born from 1995-2006 under mysterious circumstances that neither side understands.

All of them were impossible children. They were born to virgins, the elderly, and the barren.

A message was being sent, but it was unclear whom this message was from and what it was supposed to be.

Most of the parents were killed by the super soldiers and their makers in their race to secure the babies.

Gibson made a mental note to assure Scully that sending William away had been the right choice.

He heard Skinners tactical thoughts getting louder and soon a gold rental car was pulling over to the side of the road behind Gibson's car.

Scully woke up as soon as the car hit the gravel and she was instantly alert. Skinner nodded toward Gibson.

Scully looked at him for a moment and didn't seem to recognize him, but then a look of understanding came on her face and a small sad smile came across her face.

She stepped out of the car. "Gibson," she said softly.

In her mind, were images of him as a boy. She was remembering him and each image filled her with emotion.

Her holding his hand as they walked down a long hallway. Him lying in the backseat of the Smoking Man's car dying. Her tending to him and worrying over him.

Her heart was filled with tenderness toward him until the final memory entered her mind.

Their last conversation in the home of the Smoking Man.

This one filled her with despair with a tinge of anger that was directed more at herself than him.

She blamed herself for the way his life had turned out; he partly blamed her too.

"Hi Scully," he said smiling a real smile.

He would always love to see her.

She was suddenly all business, "What do we do now?"

The plan was simple, but dangerous. Gibson was going to cloak them and the three of them would walk in.

This would be simple if not for the presence of an unknown number of psychics that lay in the building.

Gibson knew that most of the 'gifted' on the inside were not volunteers but there were some that worked for Diana.

At least one of them was an ally that had been working with William, but aside from Shelly, Gibson had been unable to get through to anyone else. She had promised to be on the lookout for them and he knew that she would help when they were on the inside.

They would need to stay together, but if they were discovered the plan was to scatter. They did not know Mulder or William's exact location, which is where Shelly would come in.

They also held to a dim hope of being able to help the other children that were held captive. This would be impossible if things got too complicated.

Scully did not want to waste any time.

They got into Gibson's car and drove up to the guarded gate.  
Gibson just looked at the guard and the man opened the gate and watched them go without a word.

Scully watched in amazement as no one gave them a second look. They would not be able to fool the key card door, so they waited next to the entrance until the door opened for an authorized person.

The room was big and looked like a hospital. There were people dressed in professional attire, many of them wearing white lab coats over their clothes.

A young woman dressed in a skirt and blazer glanced at them and she and Gibson locked eyes.

They nodded at each other and she took off down a hallway.

The three intruders followed behind her down a hallway that looked closer to a prison than a hospital. The doors all had a small window and Scully tried to catch a glimpse into the rooms. All she could tell was that they were small with little furniture.

One of the doors opened and a person in a lab coat exited. Before the door closed, Scully saw a girl who had to be around ten sitting on her bed looking at the floor. Right before the door fully shut, the young girl's head shot up and her eyes met Scully's directly.

The girl had dark skin and braided hair. Her eyes were a shade of brown too light for her skin and they gave her a beautiful otherworldly look. In the momentary glance, Scully could see the hopelessness in the child's eyes.

Scully stopped in her tracks and gasped. Gibson shot her a warning look and she kept going.

She refocused her thoughts knowing that overthinking made it harder for Gibson to keep control. They walked for what felt like forever until they reached an isolated hallway.

At the very end of the short hall was a door. The door.  
Scully knew without powers that her son was in there and she began to move forward until Gibson grabbed her arm to hold her back.

William lay on his bed looking at the ceiling. There were books to read and even a TV and some DVDs to watch, but he was not interested in any of it. He was beginning to drift off when he heard a small voice that he had come to recognize.

It was the internal voice of a fellow prisoner. Supposedly they were unable to communicate due to the walls, but this girl always seemed to be able to communicate with him.

It had only started the week before and was rare but he enjoyed it. She had told him that her name was Gabby and she was almost eleven. She had never known her parents and had grown up in a place similar to this one, but had been moved about a month earlier.

He had told her about his life and she about hers.

William wondered if his life would have been like hers if Dana had not given him up.

Her voice was melodic and kind normally, but it was now filled with urgency.

William… Your mother… She is here.

William sat up so fast that he got a head rush. He looked around the room feeling the need to get ready. He didn't have shoes or any outdoor clothes. They were always in pajama type clothes with socks. Clothes it would be hard to run away with. He got up to look out the small window and saw her.

She was standing behind Shelly with Walter Skinner and a man he did not recognize.

Shelly met his eye and told him without words to back up.

They entered quickly.

Scully ran to her son, forgetting all of Gibson's warnings about too much emotion for a moment.

She held him and for the first time in too long, began to feel like herself again.

William began to cry as he held on to his birth mother, but he tried to calm himself when Shelly told them they didn't have much more time.

Scully took William's hand and the group of five made their way through more and more security checks, locked doors, and hallways.

Each time they passed, people they would all get nervous. William found himself holding his breath whenever a person came into view.

He did an exercise that Shelly had taught him, one that he felt could help. He pictured the small group of them and could, in his mind, see the psychic shield that both Shelly and Gibson were holding up. He saw the barriers in his mind expanding and strengthening just like they had practiced.

It was weird. He could hear the group's thoughts and had to practice another exercise he was taught in tuning out background noise. Scully's thoughts were especially loud be he could feel that she was trying to hold her emotions back.

They went down to what seemed like a basement that held a few different rooms, but one door stood out.

This door was guarded by two men and had a special access keypad.

Shelly went right up to them and simply looked at them and they opened the door.

Scully did not think she would ever get used to that.

Shelly, Gibson, and Skinner stepped aside to let her in first.

All of her thoughts along with her heart stopped when she entered the room.

There Mulder lay, restrained and drugged.

He did not seem to be in pain, but he looked weak, like he had not gotten up from the bed in the whole time since they had been taken.

She let go of William's hand with a squeeze and rushed to his side. She began to remove the restraints.

Dana slow down… I'm having trouble…

She heard Gibson's voice and comprehended his words, but she couldn't stop herself from freeing Mulder and with each strap she removed, the anger and worry inside her grew.

There were bruises around his wrists and arms, and even his neck where a strap had been placed.

Gibson came into the room and stood near her, looking focused and agitated as she removed the restraints from his ankles and legs.

Shelly remained outside and William went to Mulder's other side to release him.

She went to his head again and put her hands on either side of his face.

"Mulder, I'm here."


	31. I'm Here

Disclaimer: I do not own the X Files

 

I'm Here

 

At seven, William's favorite video game was Mario Bros and luckily it was Mulder's too. They sat on the couch yelling competitively at each other.  
Mulder would bump his son's shoulder and William would put his hand in front of his dad's eyes. General sabotage.

Mulder could hear Scully cleaning up the kitchen and Annie puttering around behind her trying to be like mommy, but really just making more of a mess.

The round ended with William cheering in triumph and jumping up and down on the couch.

Mulder grabbed him around the middle and pinned him down on the couch while tickling his exposed belly.  
William laughed, screamed, and kicked until Mulder finally let him go. The tables were turned on him and William pounced on Mulder's back and hung on.

Mulder got up with his son on his back and went to the kitchen. In the kitchen, Scully was washing the dishes and had pulled up a stool that allowed Annie to reach the sink where she was 'washing' the plastic dishes that were reserved for the children.

Annie was singing little made up songs and had bubbles in her curly white blond hair.

Scully smiled down at their tiny daughter as she put a dish in the drying rack and turned to see Mulder and William making their way into the kitchen.

Mulder's eyes went to the swell in her belly and he smiled widely at her. She helped Annie down from the stool and started her way over to him when he started to think again.

No. I am staying this time. I don't want to leave. It was like an argument with himself as the vision before him froze. He closed his eyes and fought the internal battle that seemed constant.

What year is it? Where do you work?

I don't know and I don't care.

When was William born?

It doesn't matter, I like this life.

He felt Scully's hand on his cheek.  
"Mulder, I'm here," she said, but the woman in front of him had not moved. She was fading.  
He looked to their daughter and saw her fading as well and finally to William who was almost gone.

"No! I don't want to go!" He yelled.

He felt one of Scully's hands running through his hair and he was wondering if he was breaking down from all of the drugs. Everything was black, but he could hear her voice.

"Mulder, it's alright. Come back to me. We need you here."

He felt her lips on his forehead and he suddenly realized that it was real. Scully had come to save him like she always did.

He opened his eyes and there she was. She was not the Scully in his visions; the young pregnant mother who looked like she had never faced evil. No, she was his Scully, the real Scully, who was the strongest person he had ever met. Her eyes were lined and he saw tears in their blue depths.

"Don't cry," he said and took her hand and kissed it.

"We need to go, Mulder," she said snapping back into action, "Do you have the wheel chair?"  
She turned her head around and Mulder saw Skinner rolling up a wheel chair next to the bed. Mulder felt paralyzed and he wondered how they planned to get them out of the bed, all he wanted was to sleep. At the foot of the bed stood William watching the scene filled with silent concern.

"Will," Mulder said and tried to get up.

"Woah!" Skinner took hold of Mulder's shoulders and Scully swung his feet out of the bed. "Wait a second, Mulder, you're going to be pretty weak."

Mulder reluctantly let them move him from the bed to the wheelchair and Scully moved him forward, toward Will.

They didn't say anything when William bent down and hugged Mulder tightly around the neck. Mulder felt his son's warm tears on his neck and he rubbed William's back.

"Will, we have to go," Scully said gently as she stroked his head. William pulled away and moved toward the door.

"Gibson?" Mulder said startled by the sight of man in the hall.

Gibson gave him a tight smile, but said nothing.

"He needs to focus to get us out of here," Scully told him quietly.

In front of Gibson stood a young woman who also seemed to be focusing on an invisible space in front of her.

They all began to move when William stopped, "We can't leave all of these other kids here."

The adults turned to look at him, not knowing what to say.

"Honey, we can't take everyone this time. We can come back for them," Scully said to him, touching his face.

"No, they will increase security. We will never get back in! They will probably move this place and everyone in it! They need help!"

"William, we can't. We don't have the man power for something like that."

"So we just leave them here?! They are orphans being treated like lab rats! Someone needs to help them!"

"We will. But we can't right now."

"We at least need to save my friend. She can help us!"

"No, Will. We are leaving now."

William crossed his arms and didn't move, "I'm not leaving until we get Gabby."

Scully was not mad, but anxious. For a moment she saw his father in his blind devotion to helping people against all odds. She looked to the two that were leading the group.

"Fine," said Gibson, "But we have to go now, lead us there."

They moved as quickly as they could down the halls in single file with William in the lead.

Scully could tell that Gibson and Shelly were getting tired and she wished that she could be closer to William. She knew that she needed to trust their friends to take care of him, because for the time being, she was rolling Mulder along. He had passed out again not long after they began moving.

She would take a quick check of his pulse every once in a while, but she was not very worried considering all the drugs in his system.

They stopped outside a room that Scully recognized. The six of them were as close to the wall as they could get.

Will was about to enter the room when Shelly pushed him aside and used a key to enter.

She came out a moment later with the small girl that Scully had seen earlier. She was wearing pajamas similar to William's, but hers were pink.

It disturbed Scully how they tried to normalize this for her. The girl seemed to know what was happening, but also seemed scared.

Scully wondered how old she was. She was a tiny girl who at first glance looked about seven or eight, but she seemed older.

"We have to move," said Shelly, urgently looking around.

Without a word, Skinner picked up the young girl, pulled her onto his back and moved.

The door was in sight. Scully's relief was palpable until she saw someone in the corner of her eye. Someone she recognized from long ago, someone she thought was dead for so many years.

Diana.

It was almost as if Diana could hear her thoughts, because she looked up from her current conversation and looked right at Scully.

She didn't appear to see them, but Scully could tell that the woman knew something was up.

"Gibson," Scully hissed.

"I know," he said tightly but didn't turn, "Keep moving."

The lobby was crowded and they needed to weave in and out a lot, but they were almost there.

"If Shelly or I get stopped, keep going and don't look back," Gibson told the group softly.

As if almost on cue, Diana stepped in front of Shelly who was so focused that she almost ran into her.

She saw Gibson's face take on a pinched look and she could tell that it had become harder to hide them.

She looked at William and noticed that he had closed his eyes and so had the little girl.

Are they helping him? She wondered to herself, amazed.

They didn't stop, but she could see Gibson give a longing look back at her and soon they were through the door.


	32. Intruders

Disclaimer: I don't own the X Files

 

Intruders

 

Diana was not stupid. She knew something was up the moment Shelly entered the room.  
Years of training to combat psychic tricks showed her that something (or several somethings) were following Shelly as she moved. It was almost like a trail of smoke and it had taken years of practice for her to even see that.

Diana stepped in front of the distracted woman and startled her. The smoke stopped and gathered and then moved past her. For a moment, when Shelly was startled, the smoke looked almost like shapes.

There is another one in here. Diana thought and looked around carefully.

"Where are you going Ms. Richards?" Diana asked with a smile that could kill.

"Oh uh, I was going to get some air." The startled girl responded.

So young. Thought Diana as she watched her struggle to look unfazed. Shelly kept watching over Diana's shoulder and finally Diana turned to see what she was looking at.

The hidden smoky vision was crossing through the door.

Dammit.

"We have intruders! Lock the gates! They are cloaked, so I need the specialists out here now!" Diana yelled and an alarm went off. She watched outside as a thick iron wall slid out and covered the gate where escape was possible. The smoke stopped moving for a moment and once again became more defined. She saw what appeared to be five shapes.

"They are outside!" She yelled and pointed, "I want this one put under arrest and held in a sterile cell until I, or any others immune, can talk to her no one can have contact!"

Two guards took hold of Shelly and began to pull her away.  
"No! Diana wait! Please! Please don't make me go back down there! I will be good please! I can help!" Shelly yelled as she kicked and screamed and Diana felt a tinge of pity for the girl.

She was almost nineteen and had never known a life outside of this one. Diana had met her not long after she was reinstated and put on this assignment.

Diana had known her mother as one of the abductees that she had monitored. She'd had a certain affection for the girl, which is how Shelly had gotten the position she had. Diana realized now that she could never let her feelings toward someone affect her reasoning.

She turned her head to where the smoky vision had been to see a familiar group being apprehended.

She'd known it was only a matter of time, but it still gave her a headache.

There, right outside the doors stood, Gibson Praise, Walter Skinner, Dana Scully, William Van De Kamp, and Fox Mulder in a wheel chair. The one thing that she had not expected was to see Skinner holding onto specimen G86.

Gabby. The girl had been a problem from the day she was born. Gabby was the last child of the project. She was similar to William in that her mother had been an abductee that Diana had known.  
Gabby's mother was just sixteen when she had her baby. She had been rendered barren by the things done to her, but she had not even known that yet. Gabby's father was also just a teenager who wanted to do the right thing.  
Taking them out had not been an easy thing to do.  
Diana flinched a bit at the memory of the young girl holding her baby to her chest and refusing to give her up. She watched as her child's father was killed and still did not move. In the end that'd had to remove the baby from her limp arms.  
Every time Diana saw the little girl, she felt ashamed of that day, but this time she felt anger. That little girl never stopped trying to escape and helped others escape. She had been moved around the country eight times and each time found trouble.

Seeing her was not too much of a surprise.

Diana felt the familiar pang in her heart when she saw Fox slumped in the chair somewhere between conscious and unconscious. Seeing Dana Scully also brought a few choice words and feelings to mind.

The older Gibson Praise seemed ready to run back in and help Shelly.

Ah. She thought and understood then that Gibson's mental shield had failed, because of the girl's cries.

She sighed and went to go meet them where they were being held outside.

Gibson had been prepared for the possibility of Shelly being apprehended, but he was not prepared for how much anguish she would be in.

She was screaming out loud, but on the inside, was shouting for him. They were taking her to a dungeon type place where she would be forced to sit for hours on end. She had lived years in the room with little human contact and the horror of going back was too much for her.

Gibson felt the young woman's pain and turned back to see that William and Gabby also felt the pain. Gabby's little hands were balled up around Skinner's shirt, her eyes were closed and her head was bowed into Skinner's neck. William had his hands over his ears as if that could help him. His eyes were squeezed shut and Scully had let go of the wheel chair to examine him.

It was only a few moments before the shield was gone and they were exposed to the world.

"I'm sorry," he said aloud and they all looked in the direction of the door to see armed guards coming for them.

They took off running, even though they knew there was no escape. The guards caught up with them easily and soon they were being detained.

As they had started to run, Scully had taken one hand off of steering the wheel chair and had grabbed on to William. Her hand was now being pried out of his and the other off of the wheel chair.

She fought to keep hold of her son, but they pulled him away. William's eyes were closed shut as if he were concentrating. Scully saw that Mulder only seemed half aware of what was happening and he looked to her for help.

The mysterious little girl was being pulled away from Skinner screaming and kicking. Skinner tried to pull his gun, but was hit over the head before he could get to it. He crumpled to the ground where a guard began to put him in hand cuffs as well. Scully was forced to the ground on her stomach and was being handcuffed when she saw Diana.

Seeing Diana alive was more annoying that unbelievable to Scully. Over the course of the entire ordeal, she had been continuing to remember her life and now memories, new and old, of Diana filtered in.

She saw her standing near Mulder and holding his hand and felt the heartbreak that her young self had felt. She saw Diana in the basement office of the X Files building doing the job that she had stolen from them. She saw pictures from the crime scene of Diana's supposed murder. The last few memories were recent, all under a year old.

Diana telling her the same story over and over again. The story of the woman she wanted Scully to be, the story that Scully had believed.

This out of all of the memories made her the most angry.

She glared at Diana as the woman approached them.

"You can let them stand up, but don't let go of them just yet," Diana directed. Scully was roughly pulled to her feet, as were Gibson and Skinner. The children were just being held firmly while Mulder had been handcuffed to the chair. Diana bent down in front of Mulder and touched his face. Mulder moved a bit to dodge her hand, but she just took his face between both of her hands.

Rage nearly blinded Scully, "Don't you touch him!"

Diana looked over at her with a humorless smirk and stood up, "Dana aren't we past this? Fighting like a couple teenage girls over the cute boy?"

"You tortured him for months!"

Diana walked began to walk toward her and Scully tensed up as the men holding her arms held on tighter, "He was happy actually. You should ask him about it when he is stable again. You've moved him too soon and he is suffering from motion sickness. My doctors will take care of him."

Another woman in a lab coat had joined them outside and she now approached Mulder with a syringe drawn.

Mulder was starting to react to his surroundings, "Don't…" he tried to pull away but the woman grabbed his arm roughly and injected him.

Scully didn't even think as she brought her foot up behind her and kicked one guard in the thigh with her heel. The man yelled out and let go while the other man was momentarily distracted and Scully used that moment to shove him sideways.  
She ran toward Mulder's chair. She didn't know what her plan was. Her hands were cuffed behind her back and she was really useless, but she couldn't do nothing. She got to Mulder as his eyes closed again and she shoved the 'doctor' to the ground with the force of her whole body.

Before she could think of what to do next, more strong arms were grabbing her and shoving her to the ground.

A guard nearby helped the woman she had pushed back up and she looked angrily at Scully before she began to push Mulder away.

"No! Diana, stop this! Why are you doing this?" Scully yelled, but it came out with a slight wheeze at the end as a knee was driven harder into her back.

Diana stood over her and looked down, "It is because I see what needs to be done and I do it. I don't let my feelings or the opinion of others get in the way of my job."

"What is your job exactly?" Skinner chimed in angrily.

"Well sir, I don't answer to you. I answer to the future. I am fighting for humanity and I will not let you get in my way."


	33. Explosions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge thank you to Kyouryoku Senshi (fanfiction.net) for being my beta!

Disclaimer: I don't own the X Files

 

Explosions

Gabby's life had never been good, but she had known no different. When she was very young, she believed Diana to be her mother. Diana would be in and out of her life, but she was the only constant woman. Whenever Diana would appear, she would shower Gabby with praise and affection that Gabby later realized came from guilt that the woman held for the death of her mother.

She remembered the day she realized that Diana was not her mother. She was watching a movie and in it, realized that family members generally looked alike. Something clicked in her head and she ran to the mirror. She looked at her dark skin and her braided hair, and saw the obvious differences between her and Diana. This then begged the question: who was her real mom?

She wanted to find out. Her studies had been going well and on days where she was good she was allowed to go on walks around the facility. On one of these days, she was able to slip into Diana's office. Diana was out of town and Gabby had used her new abilities to get someone to open it for her.

Once inside, he began to search the filing cabinet that sat behind a desk that held a nameplate reading, Diana Fowley.

She saw a file that read: G86. Gabby knew that was her reference number. Each child had one, but only the unfriendly doctors used it when referring to the little ones.

She opened the file and on the first page were two pictures. One was a young woman with a stunning smile and the other was a young man with a fade. The pictures looked like school photos. Both were smiling.  
Gabby could tell from sight that these were her real parents. She looked at the report under it and began to read of how they were killed in cold blood for no reason, except that a certain group wanted their baby.

Her mother's name was Briana Lewis, her father's was Jordan Hill. They were just teenagers.

Gabby read how her mother had been abducted many times as a young teenager and the pregnancy was something that should have been impossible.

There were pages to read, but Gabby could sense someone headed toward the office she was in, so she made her exit.

Later, Diana watched the video servallience and saw Gabby breaking in to the office. She reprimanded the little girl and was met with stony silence. Gabby would not look at her or talk to her. It was after that day that Gabby attempted her first escape.

She was then moved and tried again. This continued as a pattern; some attempts better than others. Once she was even outside the building before they caught her.

She hadn't had a friend before William. Most of the other kids there were not powerful enough to reach, but she could reach William. She wondered if it was because his mother was also an abductee.

Many of the children's parents were everyday people who just happened to get caught up in this mess, but he came from a family with a history.

They talked and she liked him right away. In her own mind, she would plan escape attempts with him.

When she heard Dana Scully enter the building, she wanted to beg them to take her and she was so happy when William insisted that they save her too.

Now she sat in a cell in the basement, where they put the troublemakers.

They pumped her with medicine that blocked her abilities and she was sure that they had done the same to William, Gibson, and Shelly.

She knew that they had to be down there too.  
She had no idea where they would have taken Scully, Mulder, and Skinner and she felt a panic that was unusual for her.  
Her whole life had been a series of unknowns, but she had always faced them alone with no one else to suffer any consequences.

When she had befriended William, he had told her of his birth parents and his real parents, which is how he referred to them. He told her that his birth parents were going to find him and it was only a matter of time and he told her she could come with.

She would try to imagine this, but had no real context but for the books and movies she was allowed.

As Gabby lay in the bare cell, she tried as hard as she ever had to reach out, but she knew that it was doing nothing.

Her concentration was so intense that when the first explosion hit, it knocked her against the wall and to the floor where she fell unconscious.

When Skinner opened his eyes it took him some time to adjust to the true darkness of the room he was being held in. He tried to remember where he was and why he was there but his head hurt so bad he was having trouble thinking.

He could see almost nothing but he could tell that he was on a small, uncomfortable cot with a thin pillow. He lay his head back on it and stared into space and tried to jog his memory.

Scully lost her memory… we found her and went to find Mulder and… and William. Gibson helped us.

We found them. William was fine… But Mulder was not fully recovered.

Diana.

Diana Fowley.

It came rushing back and he sat up too quickly. They had hauled them back inside and took the kids and Gibson somewhere else. Scully fought it and tried to get to her son, but they injected her with something that knocked her out pretty quickly. Skinner had begun to fight harder seeing them carry her away and he soon felt the pinch of the needle, followed by the blackness.

Skinner understood enough to know that Diana had to be just the face of the operation. Someone or a few someones were pulling the strings here.

He looked around the room and saw that there was what looked like a shuttered window on one wall.

He walked over to it and touched the shutter. In the blink of an eye, the shutter flew up, disappeared into the ceiling, and the room was filled with morning light.

Skinner was momentarily blinded by the harsh light, but soon he became aware of his surroundings.

The room was even smaller than he imagined. There was a toilet next to the cot and enough room to pace a bit, but nothing else.

It was less than half the size of the basement office. He examined the walls for any cracks or weaknesses for what felt like forever until he made his way fully around the room.

Right as he was about to pound on the door and demand to see Diana, a small slot in the door opened and a tray of food was produced. The slot closed before he could get to it, but it didn't stop him from yelling after the guard.

A few moments passed and Skinner had given up when the slot opened again and the guard slipped a note in.

"Forgot this," he said gruffly and closed the slot before Skinner could respond.

It was written on the same kind of thin napkin that was given to him with his meal and was in Scully's handwriting.

It read:

I am fine. Don't know where we are. Guard seems to be sympathetic. Mulder in same hallway and is getting same note. Knock on door four times to tell me you got this. We can hear some if you put head right next to the slot in door.

The note was hastily written and torn in many places, but he could make it all out. Skinner did as the note said and knocked four times. He put his ear against the door and heard a faint knock back. It was quiet enough that he might not have noticed if he was not listening.

He wondered if Mulder was out there too when he heard three knocks from a different place and a response of three knocks presumably from Scully.

Now what?

After waking from a terrible headache to the noise of a tray of food hitting the ground, Mulder tried to remember where he was.

Once he remembered, he was pissed but found that he was still having trouble moving after an unknown number of months spent in a bed.

I'm definitely not thirty anymore.

He thought somewhat bitterly as he heard his legs and back creak and pop in response to his movement. He found the window covered with the automatic shutter and was also blinded for a moment by it.

"Scully!" He yelled out loud. He found that his voice was not as loud as he thought it would be. His throat felt underused and scratchy. He noticed a water bottle next to the food.

He grabbed for it as the slot opened again Mulder lunged for it, "Scully!" He tried to yell again, but it came out weakly.

He got no response, but for a small scrap of a napkin.

The napkin was from Scully instructing him to knock three times. He put his head against the door and heard a series of four knocks and wondered if that was Scully. He waited a moment and heard a response.

Skinner!

Mulder remembered seeing their bald friend/boss before blacking out. He then knocked three times and waited.

When he heard her response, he felt his heart clench for a moment. He hadn't truly seen her in months.

He remembered the young motherly Scully from his dreams and realized what an empty shell that woman was compared to the real thing.  
The real Scully was somewhat damaged by life, but she was a bad ass who seemed to always find her way out of a terrible situation.

He held his hand against the door as if imagining that he could feel her through it.

Mulder waited and heard nothing more and figured that William and Gibson must have been taken somewhere else.  
There were fuzzy memories of more people, but he couldn't recall. His stomach rumbled loudly and he looked at the food, what looked like scrambled eggs and two pieces of toast.

He lifted the tray and found a pen taped to the bottom of it. He pulled it off and began to write immediately to Scully. It was only after he had the pen poised and ready to write that he realized that he had nothing to say. He had no idea how they were going to get out of this. He took the piece of toast in this mouth and began to case the place. He finished his toast, but the eggs looked too questionable for him.

Hours could have passed while he went over every inch of the room. Every once in a while he would return to the door and listen for a moment but he never heard anything.

He was getting close to finishing and the light in the room showed him it was evening when the explosion hit. It threw him on his back and he waited a moment for it to pass before moving quickly to the door to put his head against it. He heard nothing and then knocked three times.

There was silence and for a moment he was scared until he heard a three-knock response from Scully. They both waited for Skinner and were relieved when his four knocks were heard.

Another explosion hit and Mulder's head knocked hard against the door.

"Scully!" He yelled. He needed to hear her voice.

"Mulder!" He heard her response so quietly, but it calmed him for a moment. There were other small rumblings and he grabbed the thin pillow from the bed and covered his head, knowing it would do very little if anything were to fall from the ceiling.

There was a sound outside his door that sounded like someone trying to open his door. He irrationally grabbed the pen to protect himself from the invader, but when he saw Scully's face as the door opened, he dropped the pen and moved quickly to her.

He pulled her close to him and held her for a moment until they felt another rumble and were brought back to the present. She took his face for a moment and looked at him with a small smile. She then ran to a door some ways down from his. They passed an open cell, which he assumed was Scully's.

"How did you get the keys?" Mulder asked as Scully worked the lock open on Skinner's door.

"The guard panicked when he heard the explosions. He freed me, showed me where you guys were, handed me the keys, and took off," she said as the door swung open.

"Noble," Mulder muttered as Skinner exited without any dramatics or questions.

He nodded at both his agents and Scully began to lead them to a door at the end of the hallway.  
Neither men questioned her as she found the correct key and opened the door. As soon as they were through, the doorway an explosion shook the building that threw them to the ground.

"What the hell is that?" Scully yelled as she took hold of Mulder's arms to help him onto his still somewhat unsteady feet; the explosions were not helping.

No one answered Scully's question as they continued down an identical hallway filled with cells. Mulder wondered if there was others trapped in there, but didn't have time to think it over as another explosion hit.

"Dammit!" Mulder swore as his ass broke his fall for what felt like the millionth time.

Skinner hauled him back up.  
When they got to the next door, it was a staircase rather than another hallway.

Scully paused and turned around, "This is where my knowledge ends. I know we are in a basement, but besides that I don't know what floor the kids are on or Gibson."

"Kids?" Mulder questioned.

Both ignored him as Skinner answered her, "Well, we have no where to go but up."


	34. Ground Level

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own the X Files
> 
> Huge thank you to Kyouryoku Senshi for being my beta!

Ground Level

William pounded his fists against the door and screamed as the explosions around him sounded closer.

"Let me out!" He tried helplessly to reach the rest of them with his mind as he screamed again, "Help!"

Finally the door opened and Diana appeared she took hold of his wrist, "We are going to run William and I don't want you to fight me!"

She began to pull him down the hallway and he did the one thing she told him not to do and pulled away. Her grip on him was hard and he knew there would be bruises, but he kept trying to get away.

"I am not going with you. Where are my parents? Where is Gabby? I won't leave here without them!" Each sentence was punctuated by a pull of his arm.

She moved and took hold of his other wrist, "You have no idea what is happening. They might all be dead, but at this point it doesn't matter. The colonists have found us."

"I don't care!"

"Well you better or you'll die!"

"I'll die before I go with you!"  
Diana paused to consider if it was worth it and she realized that those words were ones that could have come out of the mouths of his parents.

"Fine."  
She let him go and ran.

He watched and felt some fear rising in him. Maybe that was his only way out.

Before he could think past that, there was pounding down the hall from him.  
In fact there was pounding all around him.

He realized the whole hallway was filled with people just like him who couldn't escape.

William began to try to open the doors from the outside, but found it fruitless. He looked everywhere along the hall for any sign of how to open the doors.

He stood there helpless when he remembered a long forgotten memory.

Talon looked at him expectantly and watched the cup of pencils that he had placed in front of William.

William stared at it and in his head pictured it toppling over. He kept this picture in his mind and finally it began to shake a bit and his concentration broke.

But no he would not stop he wanted to do it, so he pulled all his concentration back to the cup in front of him and suddenly it fell over spilling pencils and pens all over the desk.

Talon cheered and William smiled as he tried to rub away the small headache.

William knew he could move things. That wasn't the last time he had done it. Shelly had trained him even more, but he had never done anything like what he was about to try.

He stared at one door and tried to ignore the screams, the pounding and the explosions and debris falling around him.

In his mind, the door was opening over and over. He pictured the lock and the doorframe and imagined it separating and letting go.  
A large explosion nearly brought him to his knees, but he imagined the small girl he had gotten to know behind one of these doors screaming for help and he steadied himself.

He shut his eyes and put his hand to the door.

A loud series of clangs burst through the hall in a way that terrified William until he heard the voices and opened his eyes.

There had to be about ten people of different ages and races standing in the hall looking confused.

His eyes locked with Shelly's and she ran to him. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see the man he knew only as Gibson.

Where is Gabby?

He looked around frantically as the rest of the prisoners ran down the hall to hopeful freedom.

Gibson started forward and moved into a room at the end of the hall. He came out carrying the small girl and before they had time to think, they were off.

They knew that they were on a lower level and so when they got to the stairs, they headed up.

At some point, they realized that there was another group behind them and William felt fear prickle up his spine.

Gibson stopped them, "Scully!" He yelled out.

"Gibson?" The reply was from Scully and sounded confused and hopeful. The footsteps sped up and William didn't even think as he collided into his birth mother with a hug that nearly knocked her off her feet.

She kissed his head and ran her hands through his hair and mumbled sweet things to him before Gibson yelled at them to move.

They did not bother with invisibility this time; there was no point.

The ground level was chaos. They'd had to bang down the stairwell door to even get out and when they did it was evident that they had mostly just been lucky. The building was one story with many basement levels. The entire top level was gone besides a few buildings that seemed to be made out of special material were super soldiers running around shooting at the sky.

Mulder looked up to see three UFO's hanging above them. His mouth slackened and he stared. He grabbed for Scully who was having a very similar reaction and they laced their fingers together.

They had all paused and were unsure of what to do next. It was like a war zone. Gibson stood focused staring at the ships and then as if out of a dream a tractor beam came from one of the ships and in the blink of an eye, they were gone.


	35. The Colonists

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own the X Files
> 
> Huge thank you to Kyouryoku Senshi for being my beta!

The Colonists

Dana was floating in space in a world far from her own. The only thing she saw around her was the blinding light and so she closed her eyes.

The next thing she was aware of, was a small body that was latched on to her.  
It was a child, but not her own child.  
She wrapped her arms around the mysterious small person and tried to open her eyes again, but pointed them toward the person with her.  
Her vision was blurry and the light still stung her eyes, but she could see the little girl she was holding. For a moment she was confused, but then remembered the little girl that William had insisted they save.

What is her name? Scully pondered as she looked at the little one.

The little girl looked so at peace snuggled up against Dana's chest. Her heart broke slightly, as she thought of her own daughter that she had known for such a short time. She had always wanted a daughter.

Scully ran her hand over the little girl's hair and kissed her forehead and the girl's eyes opened slowly.

She didn't seem to be affected by the light and her startling eyes met Scully's with a precision that scared her. Sometimes William would get the same look in his eyes. It felt like he was studying you like a piece of art.

Gabby. She remembered the name. A perfect name for the sweet-faced child in her arms. The girl who was too small for her age, but whose eyes were too old.

"Where are we?" Scully asked thinking for some reason that the child would know. She felt foolish as soon as the words left her mouth. She was the adult, she should be the one with answers.

Gabby glanced around "We are on their ship," she said as if it was the most normal thing in the world..

"The aliens?"

Gabby just nodded and began to move away from Scully. Scully's arms tightened around the girl, she didn't want to let her go.

The little girl just looked at her and began to pull away again. This is when Scully realized that they were actually laying on a floor that was light. Gabby got to her feet and looked at Scully expectantly.

Scully got up and looked around. The light was still blinding, but she was getting used to it.  
"Where is everyone else?" Scully asked.

"I don't know. If we walk, we might find them," Gabby answered vaguely.

"Won't we eventually hit a wall?"

Gabby turned to her, " This is a reality that exists unto itself. It doesn't have walls. The floor is just an illusion really. Everything is. We are probably lying on a table somewhere hooked into this reality," she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Scully looked around unbelievably, but followed the child as she began to move.

Gabby stopped and waited for Scully and took her hand. For the first time, there was some vulnerability in the girl's face and once again she was just looking for reassurance.

They walked hand in hand, in silence for what felt like a long time. There was no way to tell time as they were walking. Scully felt strange in this place. She felt like she had been there before.

Deep inside herself, she knew that she had been in a place like this when she had been abducted all those years ago, but she refused to entertain any such thought as she had done for years.

On what looked like a horizon, a prone form could be seen. Scully wanted to run to it. It was hard to tell who it was from where they were, but as they got closer, they could see that it was the young woman who had helped them escape.

Gabby bent down over her and touched her face lightly, "Shelly?"

The woman's eyes moved under her lids, but she didn't wake. Gabby tried again and the woman's eyes opened to look at her. She appeared blinded for a moment and then gained her sight and looked around.

"Oh no." She said simply and Scully assumed from that, that she knew where they were.

She stood and they all looked at each other for a moment and decided to keep walking. Gabby kept a strong hold on Scully's hand.

Gibson watched over the sleeping bodies of his friends and was not sure if he felt guilty or relieved. Had he kept them safe from one danger only to hand them into the hands of another?

He knew the colonists and they liked him, but he knew that to them these were just humans, science experiments and zoo animals at best. Except for Shelly and the children. He knew if it came down to it, he could at least save them.

One of the colonists entered the holding center in his human form with a totally neutral look on his face, which was not unusual. They were not an expressive race.  
"How are the specimens doing?"

Gibson heard the human sounding voice in his head and once again was reminded of how much he hated the way they referred to human beings.

"The humans are fine. The females have found each other. All of the males are still in deep sleep."

"Interesting. The hybrid females?"

"The hybrids and the human. The child found the human female somehow."

"She is strong. Possibly the strongest we have seen. She may rival you, Gibson. We need to watch her."

"I agree that she is strong, but I do not believe that she possesses a threat. She is just a child wanting comfort right now. If we become her allies and earn her trust, she can be an asset."

"We will see. The boy has potential."

"Yes. His background was perfect for training and it looks like it has taken. How many soldiers survived the attack?"

"Impossible to say. We were able to destroy 53 of them, but we know there are many more."

"Do we have a sufficient supply of magnetite?"

"We are continuing to collect right now. The humans are being gathered into reserves for their own protection, but we have been met with some expected opposition."

"Would these ones be able to gather their belongings before joining the reservation?"

The colonist eyed Gibson critically, "Yes. In this one case we can allow it. Be careful, Gibson, that your human compassion does not outweigh your logic."

Gibson simply nodded at him and the alien left the room without another word. They were a species of few words.

After the alien left, Gibson hung his head and hoped he would be able to save them from the worst of what was to come.

Mulder woke up to the sound of birds and the feel of wind blowing in through a window. He opened his eyes and realized that he was in his own bed. He turned to see Scully's curved back and he wondered if it had all been a dream.

He sat up slowly, not wanting to disturb her and then saw the little girl that was clutching onto Scully.

Mulder knew the girl from what he thought were his dreams. He had not heard her name or anything else, but seeing her here made him assume that it had not been a dream.

He quickly got up and went to William's room. There, sleeping quietly was his son. All Mulder could see was a mess of strawberry blond hair and he smiled. He moved to the other side to see his son's sleeping face.  
William looked so at peace. Mulder wished that he could retain that peace. Guilt cut through him as he thought of the peaceful life that William had, that had been taken from him.

He wanted to reach out and touch him, but he did not want to wake him. Instead, he went to inspect the rest of the house.  
He walked back into the bedroom to get a shirt and noticed Dagoo lying in his dog bed.

Mulder cocked his head at the dog who looked up at him expectantly. In all of the excitement, he had forgotten about the poor mutt and Mulder wondered how he had survived.

He motioned to the dog as he left the room and Dagoo followed behind happily. When Mulder got to the kitchen, he saw how Dagoo had survived.  
It was a mess of food. It looked like someone had been feeding him and had decided to leave out food in case of no return.

Mulder saw Skinner's prone form on the rug of their living room and he realized that he was probably who had taken care of the dog.

The woman who had been with them was lying on the couch sleeping like a baby.

Mulder was confused, tired, and hungry and he wondered which he wanted to take care of first.

"Mulder." He heard quietly and he was not sure if it was in his mind or not.

He turned around to see Gibson standing there looking tired and years older than he should.

"Gibson. Thank you." Was all Mulder could get out. He was not sure what else to say to the young man standing before him. He also didn't know how to fit this image into the one of the little boy he had known so many years earlier.

"Don't thank me, yet." Gibson said not meeting his eyes, "The colonists have come and set up reservations for the humans. They want you all into the nearest one by tomorrow."  
Mulder stared at him not comprehending, "Wait… they are moving all surviving humans into these reservations?"

Gibson nodded, "It's estimated that the current population of the earth is around two million but it is hard to tell. Over the past few months, people have been dying. Whoever they don't want, that is."

Mulder didn't say anything and instead walked to the light switch and flipped it, nothing happened. They were driving the human's away from home. Mulder cursed under his breath.

"Mulder, we need to wake everyone up and you need to start packing. You're lucky I could even convince them to let you gather your things."

"What are these reservations for? Some kind of low tech hunger games?"

"No. There won't be modern conveniences though. It will be more like a control zone for the aliens to study humanity."

"And you have known this for how long?"

"It doesn't matter. I couldn't change it if I tried. Mulder this is the new world, you knew it was coming. Frankly, it's amazing that they are letting any human's live. The colonists will populate the rest of the world. They will try not to interfere in the lives of the humans."

"What about the super soldiers?"

"There are still many left. They had a lot more than we originally thought. That air strike was the first against them. It's one of the reasons why they are moving the humans, they want them out of the way of this war."

Mulder looked at the ground and shook his head.

"Mulder, we don't have time to argue about this. If we are not out of the house and on the road by tomorrow they will come here and that is the last thing you want."

Mulder looked up at him with mild anger and just nodded his head, "Fine. You wake them up." He pointed to Skinner and Shelly, "I'll get the kids and Scully."

He stalked up the stairs and left Gibson alone in the kitchen, feeling his friend's pain.


	36. There's No Place Like Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own the X Files
> 
> Note: Huge thank you to Kyouryoku Senshi for being my beta!

There's No Place Like Home  
___________________________

The reservation was on the land of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest in Virginia. The car ride was around four hours. The roads were abandoned and silent.

Before they had been abducted by Diana and her ilk, there had been rioting and shootings. Things had been uncertain, but they had remained; now it looked almost like they were on a set for The Walking Dead.

Not as many abandoned cars, but there were houses with doors wide open and belongings scattered all along the yard. There were bodies as well. When they drove by, Dana covered Gabby's eyes even though she knew the girl could see it in their minds. Gibson was driving her large SUV with Mulder riding shotgun. Scully sat in the back with William and Gabby and Skinner and Shelly drove in a small car behind them. Dagoo sat in the trunk with his bed, his cage, and some toys. They had filled the car with anything they thought useful. Gibson had said the camps would be pretty basic, so they packed things like plastic plates and cups and bedding.

In the time between his mother's death and being abducted, William had printed out some pictures from home that had been online. As he packed them in his own backpack, he was happy that he had thought of it. He wondered if he would ever be home again. These thoughts led him to wondering about his friends and he got a sick feeling.

He was now staring out the window of the car, wondering about them again and knowing that he would most likely never see them again. His eyes filled with tears and he glanced next to him. His birth mother had taken a seat between him and currently, Gabby's head was resting on Dana's lap as she slept and Dana was looking straight ahead.

William thought that she looked like some classic work of art whenever he looked her way. She was always so strong, but graceful. She was dangerous, but made those around her feel safe.

He moved closer to her and she started, then softened and smiled at him. She put her arm around him and he rested his head on her shoulder.

Most of the time, William could block out people's thoughts, but it always took some effort. As he sat in the car, he let it slip away and the thoughts of his parents became clear. Gibson was a closed book unless he opened his own mind and Gabby was asleep.

He hated hearing people's thoughts, but he was so tired. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep despite the background noise. Their thoughts matched each other's for the most part. They were just echo's of worry for each other and him. Dana had carved out a special part of her mind for Gabby, who she now fretted over as well.

Mulder turned around to check on how they were. William didn't open his eyes, but he saw Mulder through Scully's eyes and vice versa. They smiled at each other with a weary look in their eyes. Mulder reached out for Scully's hand that had been laying on Gabby's shoulder. He squeezed it and William could hear words of love that he would have said out loud if they were alone.

William squirmed slightly as he tried to build the mental wall back up. He felt like he was invading their private spaces when he saw their thoughts of each other. He had only been able to read their minds this clearly for a few hours and he already wished he could go back.

He had not learned anything surprising, but the depth of love for each other and for him made him uncomfortable. It made him recall how short a time he had actually been apart of their lives. He didn't like to see the pain that had been their companion for so long and it seemed to accompany almost every thought.

Meanwhile, Gibson could hear everyone. He had learned to filter them out but he felt guarded. He trusted Scully and Mulder, but he also knew that they, Mulder especially, could be tricky. He knew Mulder was mad about this new development and he did not want to take any chances with him.

Gibson had become used to the thoughts of others so long ago and it wasn't strange for him. Listening to Mulder and Scully's thoughts to him was like listening to a new song by an old band. One that he had listened to years ago and had forgotten about.

He heard Scully's voice ring out in his head as she directed a thought directly at him, "How much longer?"

"Only another hour."

She didn't respond directly, but he could feel her trepidation as she looked down at the children.

Gibson hoped that they would not be taken away, but he also knew that it was possible.

If they tried to take those children, he knew that Scully and Mulder would fight and if they fought, the colonists would not hesitate to kill them. They had been given latitude because of Gibson's relationship with them, but indolence would not be tolerated. To the aliens, they were just animals.

A type of shantytown had been erected in an area near a stream. Gibson told them that there were a few others like it spread throughout the land. There were cabins that were being used as holding facilities, dry storage, and hospitals. They came to a section that looked like it had been saved specifically for them.

And it had. The coordinators of the camps tried to prepare for each group before they came.

Their new homes were two and a half small box shaped shelters. They were connected with awkward doorways. The only doorway that had something like a door was leading to a small addition that was big enough only for a double bed which is what was in there.

In the other two, held two single beds each. The first was bigger and held a table and chairs with a wood-burning stove that had a chimney that went out of the tin roof. The floors were plywood covered with a few rugs. There was a counter type space with cabinets underneath that already had some basic dry food needs sitting ready to be eaten. The second larger room held the other two beds and a couple of more comfortable chairs for sitting. In one corner was a table with a basin that was filled with water and had a mirror in front of it. There was a bookcase that looked too large for the shack and other surfaces to put things.

It was not very big for six people and a dog, but there was enough storage space.

Gibson led them in as if he were taking them on a tour, "This little room is for Mulder and Scully." He gestured into the small sub-room with the bed.

Mulder stuck his head inside and turned back to look at Scully.

He wiggled his eyebrows at her, "Cozy."

She gave him a tight smirk in response.

"There are two beds in this room and two in the next. You guys can decide how to split it up. If you want to move the other two beds so they are all in the same room, it will probably fit. I know there is not a lot of privacy, but as time goes on, you can build onto it and make more rooms or something." Gibson seemed nervous as he explained their new life.

He paused suddenly and stared into space for a moment, "I am needed elsewhere. If you need help call out for me, I'll hear you."

He left quickly leaving the small group confused.

They decided that Gabby and Shelly could take the slightly smaller room that held the basin and bookcase as it offered a little more privacy while Skinner and William could have the middle room.

Skinner commented that he would figure out how to build two small shacks next to this one for he and Shelly as soon as he got the chance.

Gabby grabbed her tiny bag that held only some toiletries and a blanket that she found particularly soft and wanted. She quickly claimed a bed and seemed content to try to make her own little space.

Shelly had nothing except for what Dana had provided her. Shelly was quite a bit taller than Scully and so the sweatpants that she had been given looked nearly comical. Scully had given her one of her longer shirts but it still showed her midriff when she moved and she felt uncomfortable. Gibson had assured her that there would be clothing here for her. As soon as they got their bearings, he promised to show them where the 'stores' were.

Skinner showed the precision of a solider as he set about his work and did not seem to notice their new surroundings.

William set about creating his own space in silence as he took some scotch tape and hung his pictures around his bunk.

Scully looked at him worriedly for a moment and wondered what to do to help him. Mulder came behind her and the familiar feeling of his hand on the small of her back calmed her.

"Let him have some time. We can christen our new bedroom." He gave her a smile that showed that he was trying to cheer her.

She smiled at him and put her hand to his cheek, "I missed you." Her voice was soft and Mulder absorbed it, because Scully was not one for many words of affection. She leaned in and gave him a soft lingering kiss.

His response was low, "I missed you, too."

She could see in his eyes exactly what that statement meant to him at that moment and leaned in closer laying her hand on his chest, "Later, Mulder."

They went into the small shelter that was to be their room. There was not much walking space, but there were some poorly hung shelves on the walls.

"Maybe I'll add a little more space later, so we can actually fit our stuff in here." Mulder said as he surveyed the place.

"We should just be grateful that we have a space of our own, Mulder," Scully said as she began to arrange her side of the bed. She was grateful for a tall skinny nightstand that held a gas lamp.

Mulder threw himself down on the bed in frustration, "Should we, Scully? This is not right! They could have at least put people in a city or some kind of gated community to keep track. Instead they want to make it as unsafe as possible."

"I don't know if that is the point. They may just want to observe humanity trying to start over."

Mulder's brain jumped tracks quickly as it often did, "What do you know about the little girl who is with us?" He asked it lowly even though the plywood 'door' was 'closed' and the girls were a room away.

Scully looked at him, "I know that she is a little girl who was orphaned and has no family. I know that William trusts her and begged us to save her. She is all alone in the world, Mulder." She turned back to her unpacking at the last part because she didn't want Mulder to examine her face as she said it.

It was too late, he was now turning on his side his gaze burning holes into her back, "You want to keep her, to be her mother." It was not an accusatory tone just a statement.

Scully paused her movements and was silent for a few moments, "She needs a mother, Fox. And a father."

He knew she was serious whenever she used his first name. It meant that whatever she was saying, she wanted him to understand its importance.

He let out a sigh, "Well, at this point, Scully, she is stuck with us anyway."

"If you don't want that, Mulder, that's fine but I-I can't give her away."

He noticed a slight tremor in her voice and he quickly moved forward to sit next to her, "Hey, no one is asking you to. I was just curious. She can stay if she wants to and be our daughter."

She turned her face to him and with wet blue eyes that still tended to take his breath away on occasion, "Thank you."

She rested her hand on his thigh and kissed him.

His brain shut down the moment her lips touched his and he forgot everything else and the only thing that existed was the two of them.

To him, the real X file was how she could still do this to him after twenty-three years. The kiss got deeper until there was a knock at the door and both of them remembered that they were in a shack with very little privacy.

Scully sighed, "Later, somewhere private."

The only thing that Mulder wanted to do was take Scully somewhere private with a nice bed and not leave for three days. He knew, however, that this was currently impossible, so he would settle for the hope of sex in the woods sometime later.

"Can I come in?" Skinner's voice sounded from the other side of the door.

"Yeah." Mulder said and walked over to what now seemed to be his side of the bed.

Skinner opened the plywood door, "I want to go look around. Shelly and Gabby said they want to go, we are going to walk around and look for supplies and find out more about what is going on. Do you want to come?"

Scully looked over at Mulder and Skinner watched as they communicated in their odd silent way, "No, I think we will unpack. Where is Will?"

"He's getting his bed set up." Skinner glanced around and lowered his voice, "I think he is having a hard time."

Scully nodded at him, "Thanks."

Skinner looked slightly uncomfortable in the small doorway. He nodded their way and closed the door on his way out.

Scully turned to look at Mulder, "I'm going to go talk to him."

Mulder nodded. She squeezed his hand and went to talk to William.

After William declined Skinner's offer to look around, he lay on the small uncomfortable cot and stared at a picture of him with his parents a year before his dad died.

They were standing in front of the big Christmas tree that their town put up every Christmas.

William was a lot smaller and had on a silly hat with elf ears. His parents were bundled up with their arms around him.

He felt tears welling up as he looked at the smile on his mother's face.

He would never see that smile again. There would never be another Christmas tree in the center of town. No more hot chocolates and Santa. No, now all that was left was a collection of shacks in the middle of nowhere and a few printed out pictures.

There was a dip in the cot as Dana sat down next to him.

He felt her hand on his shoulder but he didn't turn to look at her. He didn't want her to see his tears.

"Will, you can talk to us if you need to." She paused for a beat, "There is no way for us to understand fully what you are going through, but both of us have lost a lot. We won't be hurt that you miss your parents. I wish every day that we had been able to save your mom."

Her fingers brushed lightly through his hair and he turned around and buried his head in her side.

She hugged his head and sat there with him for a few minutes. They said nothing but he could tell that she was crying.

"It wasn't your fault, you know?" He said it quietly and Scully almost didn't hear him.

"I suppose. It will never stop me from feeling responsible." She kissed his head, "Do you want something to eat? We have some snacks with us."

He shook his head, "Can I go walk around?"

"By yourself?"

He nodded.

Scully felt conflicted about it. She didn't want him to go alone, but she wanted him to have the space he needed.

Gibson's voice rippled through her mind, I'll keep an eye on him.

She questioned for a moment if she could trust him to do that, but he'd saved them before, so she decided to let him go.

"You can walk around, but I want you to stay close. Don't go outside the camp. And take the dog with you."

He nodded silently and she kissed his head again, "Tell me when you get back."

Scully watched him go and went back to her little room with Mulder to have their own alone time.

The camp covered around ten miles of territory most of which was covered in small shacks. It was woodsy, but the strip of land they were planted on had been mostly cleared. It rested near a riving and a small lake. In another life, this area had been a recreational camping area for visitors to the park. William could hear everyone's thoughts swirling around his head and he just wanted to curl up and go to sleep. He'd needed to get away from Dana's sad thoughts and the anxious constant ticking of Mulder's brain.

William tried to block out the noise, but he was just getting a headache. He wondered if he would feel better if he found Gabby and Shelly. During part of the drive, he and Gabby had been able to block out the world for a little while to stave off the thoughts of those around. It kept until she fell asleep. He wished he could sleep.

He heard her melodic thoughts from his place near the river and decided to join the group of three that had gone in search of provisions. He pulled Dagoo along by his leash and went to find them.

Skinner was attempting to strike a bargain with a man that stood at what used to be a snack bar, but now appeared to hold food supplies.

The man who was at the stand had been instructed on how much food to give them, but was trying to talk Skinner up.

William could read the man well. He was an opportunist who was not supposed to be gaining anything from his position.

He walked up next to Skinner and stared at the man who seemed spooked by his presence.

"He can't be making deals like that with the food," William informed Skinner not looking away from the man who had begun to gather up the supplies that Skinner had asked for.

Skinner just looked at William with a look that he had seen since he was small. He looked at him and wondered what he was.

Will hung his head and walked over to Gabby who was sitting on a bench humming to herself. Her feet did not reach the ground so her skinny legs were swinging back and forth.

She was still in her hospital ware and he could see that she had spotted a place to get clothing and was now waiting patiently for the adults who were currently loading up a wheelbarrow with groceries.

"I can take you to get the clothes." William said and she smiled at him.

Gabby yelled their plans over to Skinner who looked up for a moment, before telling them to not go anywhere other than the clothing shop.

The place Gabby had heard of was down a small path a little ways. They walked in a comfortable silence and watched the camp around them.

Gibson had not told them how long the camp had been set up, but the people looked well established. This seemed like home to them now. Children ran around everywhere and seemed free. They had moved past the initial fear of their new surroundings and now were happy again in their new lives.

To the young children, this seemed like a vacation. They were out in the woods with a lot of other people and there was no school.

The adults were not so carefree. Most still held on to some fear as they went about their business.

It looked like there was a garden for every few homes that was big enough to feed a few families. People tended the gardens and cooked over open fires.

There were animals everywhere. The area they were in seemed to be an agricultural area. He watched as a young mother milked a cow while keeping tabs on her children. Her husband was on his hands and knees next to a tilled patch of earth.

They were farmers. They got closer to the small clothing shop and the homes were less and less farm like. Now he noticed people working different crafts in front of their makeshift homes. There were signs advertising construction, cooking and sewing classes, and a post office.

The last one caught his attention and he noticed a small line leading into the shack that held the sign. He tucked this information away for later as he remembered his friends.

Finally, they came to a small shop that was a real building. It looked like what used to be a gift shop. William tied Dagoo'd leash to a tree and gave him plenty of slack.

Inside there was a mix of homemade clothing and clothing that had been taken from places in the area. It was all practical and most of the clothes were sitting folded in large unlabeled piles.

A middle-aged woman walked toward them as they examined the place.

"Well, you two look new to the settlement. What can I get for you?" She asked them with a pleasant smile.

Will glanced at Gabby, who he noticed was on edge around so many people.

"Yeah, we are new we just got here today. I have some clothing but she doesn't have any." William answered the woman who he assumed ran the shop.

She nodded at them, "Follow me."

Gabby stood still and he took her hand as they went deeper into the crowded place.

The woman went behind a counter and took out a binder.

She ran her finger down the first page and asked, "William and Gabby Scully?"

William was thrown by the last name for a moment and realized that they must have been grouped with Dana in the records. He'd heard his parents talking about taking in Gabby as their own. He glanced at the wide eyed girl and wondered if she'd heard them as well. She looked at him and he knew that she had.

It was a conversation for later.

Will nodded.

"I'm expecting more from your group as well. Are they with you?" The woman asked.

"They will be coming soon."

"Alright, well Gabby why don't you come with me and I will help you find some nice clothes. My name is Barbra by the way." She had bent down on Gabby's level and took her hand.

William did a quick scan of her mind and could see that she was a genuine person but he also decided to follow them as they went to a section that held children's clothes.

She showed Gabby a section of clothes that would fit her and told her to pick out three outfits for now and two pairs of shoes.

Until now Gabby had been wearing a pair of hard soled slippers that Dana had slipped on her before they left. They hung off her feet in a comical way and were now covered in dirt.

Gabby nodded silently and began to look around.

By the time Shelly and Skinner entered the store, Gabby was trying on clothes. She was smiling at herself in the mirror as she wore a shirt that pictured the Disney Princess and the Frog, jeans, and pink gym shoes. She'd pulled back her braids into a thick ponytail with a ponytail holder that Barbra had provided.

Gabby had never had clothes besides a few pairs of pajamas and she was so excited to be getting her own clothes.

Besides her current outfit, she had also picked a pair of jean overalls with a plain blue tee shirt and a red sundress that was homemade from strong material.

She had the shoes she was wearing, a pair of hiking boots, and sturdy sandals.

Barbra told Gabby to pick out two jackets while she went to help Shelly find more clothes.

Gabby gladly went to the indicated pile and began to look for a light jacket.

Skinner came next to William, "Do you need any clothes?"

"No, I have enough for now."

"Do we need to trade anything for these clothes?"

"The lady said that until we are settled all our supplies will be free. Did you take the food back to the…" He struggled for a word, "House?"

Skinner gave a small laugh, "No, not yet we have the supplies waiting outside. We got some bags to carry the clothes."

Will nodded and watched Gabby settle on a blue jacket for lighter weather and a black one for cooler days.

She went to a section that held hair accessories and picked some out for herself.

"Where did she come from?" Skinner asked quietly.

"She is like me, except they killed her parents and raised her. She grew up in places like where you found me."

Skinner shook his head and William could hear his angry thoughts, "How many others were there?"

"Too many."

"What do you think happened to them?" Skinner asked this more to himself than to Will. William didn't answer and just looked at the ground. He had been wondering the same thing himself.


	37. Getting Settled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own the X Files  
> Note: Huge thank you to Kyouryoku Senshi for being my beta!

Getting Settled  
\-------------

 

Dream Scully paled in comparison to real Scully. Mulder kissed the top of her head and held her to him tightly. He knew they needed to get up and be useful, but it had been so long since they'd been together and he never wanted to let her go.

She sighed into his chest and began to move, "We need to get up Mulder."

He tightened his arms and groaned into her hair.

She gave a breathy laugh, "They could be back any minute. Considering that the only barrier between us and them is a plywood door, I would like to get dressed."

"The kids can read minds and Skinner is smart enough to knock."

"Ugh, I keep forgetting that the kids can read minds. You're going to need to watch yourself, Mulder."

He smiled down at her and rubbed her shoulder, "I'll be good. Promise."

Mulder finally let Scully get up. He watched her get dressed until she gave him a pointed look. He sighed and got up.

Scully went out to the car to unpack more of the supplies that they brought along. She found small shelves in the kitchenette area where she placed the kitchen supplies they brought.  
Mulder went to the car and set up a little corner for Dagoo that consisted of his crate and bowls for food and water. They had taken as much of Mulder's research as they could hold before they left, in case it would be of use to them. Scully had begun to work on letters to her brothers when the rest of the group arrived. Mulder had sent out a message to Gibson and was reading while waiting for him.

Skinner and Shelly hauled in the wheelbarrow full of food first and Scully jumped up to help them. She had begun to feel a rumbling in her stomach and was excited to see that they had enough supplies for a pretty good dinner.  
She lit the wood burning stove that Mulder had collected wood for earlier. Scully looked at the food they had brought and took a bag of rice first and started boiling some water on the stove. She knew it would be more difficult to work with than a normal stove and she was not excited about learning. Skinner unloaded several candles and gas lamps and began to place them around the room. Mulder took a gas lamp and candle from him and put them in his and Scully's room along with some matches. Skinner put another few light sources in the other room as well. Gabby happily skipped into the shack holding a canvas bag in each hand while William followed behind with another four bags and a leashed Dagoo. He unhooked Dagoo and let him go explore his new surroundings. He placed three of the bags by Shelly's bed and gave the other one to Gabby who had begun happily unpacking and folding her new clothes.  
William smiled as he watched her and finally went into the main room.  
It was peaceful in the main room as the dog ran around in circles and everyone else continued to try to make this small space feel more like home.

Gibson's fears had been confirmed when the colonists expressed their interest in the children. Luckily, they did not want to take them from Mulder and Scully, but they did want to use them for testing. They also wanted Shelly to join them in their own quarters, which consisted of a few large landed UFOs.  
Gibson did not like that idea, but wondered if that would end up being better for her in the end. He knew that Shelly had always wanted a place to belong and he wondered if this could be just that place. He knew that the colonists were not offering, they were demanding. However, they would prefer that she come willingly instead of being forced.

They were in charge of running the reservation until it was able to stand on it's own and they wanted to put Scully to work as soon as possible. There were a few doctors, but still not enough for the amount of people. They gave Gibson supplies that he needed to give the new clan and instructions for them and sent him on his way.  
Gibson prepared himself for a few tough conversations.

Mulder was pacing the small room as he listened to Skinner and William describe the camp.  
Gabby was standing on a stool next to Scully cutting some vegetables for the stir-fry. Scully smiled down at Gabby's small precise hands.  
Shelly sat quietly and listened to Mulder, Skinner, and William discuss their new life. She felt odd in this new group and didn't quite know where she fit in. Skinner had treated her well and she knew that William and Gabby were happy she was there.  
Gibson arrived right as she was wondering after him. He smiled at her and she felt relieved to see him.

Mulder switched tracks quickly when he saw Gibson.  
"How are you guys liking the place?" Gibson asked awkwardly.

Mulder stared at him flatly and offered no response.  
"Well, I have some things to give you as well as some information on your new lives." Gibson sat down the large backpack that he wore on his back as well as the duffel bag that was filled to the seems.

He knelt down to unpack and pulled out gardening supplies, "These will come in good use. I don't know how used to this you guys are so I included a little manual to help you out. Each home gets a few chickens. Someone will have to go pick some up for you at the farming center, but make sure to have a small fenced off area ready for them before you do. Water is a tricky thing around here, but I was able to get my hands on a filter. It is small and you'll still need to boil most of the time, but it is good for if you need water right away. There are a few of those plastic water tanks where you can store water. The creek is not far from here and you can use the wheelbarrow to carry the bottles."  
He paused and looked up to see if they had any comments or questions. No one said anything so he went on, "All of you will have some kind of job in the community, but most of that has yet to be worked out. Scully will have to start working tomorrow, unfortunately. Her services are very much needed."  
Scully turned from the stove and nodded to Gibson. She had suspected as much.

"What kind of facilities and equipment will I have to work with?" She asked.

"Well, we placed you all in this area because there is not a doctor on this side of the camp. There is a converted cabin less than a mile from here and a bike you can use to get there. The equipment is pretty much everything you would have at a normal doctor's office. There are many pregnant women on the reservation and that will probably be most of your work, along with immunizations." Scully turned back to her work when she knew Gibson was done with her.

Gibson turned to Mulder, "Mulder, they are planning on trying to open a school next week and they would like you to assist as a psychological consultant and councilor for the staff and students." Mulder just looked at his feet and gave a small nod to show that he heard.

"The super soldiers are not eradicated. Now, they don't seem to know where this reservation is so far, but we cannot expect it to stay secret forever. The colonists want to be prepared in case of an attack." The room stayed in a stony silence as Gibson pulled out four guns, "They have created special Magnetite bullets that will stop the soldiers. It will take a shot to the head to truly kill them but shooting them anywhere will slow them down." Gibson handed one gun to Mulder and one to Skinner and put one aside for Scully, "I'd like it if you guys could teach the adults and teens how to shoot and fight."  
Skinner examined the gun in his hand and tightened his jaw. He looked up at Mulder and fixed him with a measured look, which Mulder returned.

"I thought you said we'd be safe here." Mulder stated.

Gibson looked down at his hands, "They don't think it will happen but it is best to be prepared."

Gibson stayed for dinner and the seven of them found perches all around the room. Scully made a stir fry that was good considering the lack of spices and the difficulty of cooking on a wood burning stove.  
"We will need more chairs." Scully stated simply as she took a spot next to Mulder against the wall.  
There was a table with three chairs and the two single beds in the big room but beyond that there was no seating and there was enough room for another couple chairs.  
They ate in relative silence. Gabby's mind spun with all of the thoughts around them and she longed to have some headphones and music. She knew that she would have to get used to this way of life.  
Gibson seemed to hear her and he looked up and broke the silence, "I want to continue to train William and Gabby. This stage is a difficult one as they can now hear everyone's thoughts but they have no way of blocking them." He turned to Mulder and Scully; "You remember how much I loved TV when you found me? It's because it was one of the only ways to block everyone else's thoughts. Here, there is not really another way for them to cope. On the colonists base, they will not have to listen to the constant thoughts for a couple hours and they can be taught how to use their different abilities."  
"Will they be interacting with the aliens?" Mulder asked.

Gibson looked down, "Well, that is another thing we need to discuss. They have a great deal of interest in the kids and I was worried that they would want to take them away. The good news is that they don't want to take them away, but they do want to run some tests and observe their training sessions."  
"There will be no testing!" Scully said as she sat up straight.  
"Scully that is not really a choice. Either it happens voluntarily or it will be forced." Gibson winced internally at the look she gave him.

Mulder rested a hand on Scully's arm, "What kind of testing will this be?"

"I don't know. The testing that Scully is thinking of was invasive and preformed by the syndicate. The colonists have, in general, had very little access to human beings until now. They are not needlessly mean or harmful. They have said that I can be there for the testing, I would never let them hurt the kids."  
Scully considered sending Gabby and William out of the room, but she remembered that they could read minds and she knew it would be pointless.

She looked at them, "What do you two think of this?"

They looked at each other for a moment and then Will turned back to Scully, "Well if they can help us to learn to clear our minds that would be really great. I kind of hate this." He motioned to Gabby, "So does Gabby."

Scully nodded and looked down at her food, which rested in her lap.  
"Gibson, I want to go with them at least for the first time." Mulder said after a beat.  
"I'll see what I can do, Mulder, but I can't make promises." Gibson looked to Shelly who had been silently observing, "Shelly, when you're done, I need to talk to you."  
She looked down at her plate, which was mostly empty and shrugged, "I'm done."

Gibson nodded and they took their plates to the tiny sink.  
"Just place them in there, we will wash them." Mulder called over.

Shelly followed Gibson outside.


	38. Healing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I wish I owned the X Files but I don't :(

“They want you to live in their facility,” Gibson said simply as they walked away from the shack, “They want to train you and observe and you’d be free to come and go as you please, but they feel that you belong with them rather than here.”   
Shelly looked at the ground, “Are we somehow better than them? Is that it?”   
Gibson squinted at a far off point, “I’m not saying I believe that, but they do.”   
“What if I say no?”   
“Shelly…. You can’t say no.”   
“So it’s really not free will then is it?” She crossed her arms and turned from him.  
“I guess not.”  
“Are they going to force the children to live there?”   
Gibson looked at his feet, “They say that the kids can stay with Mulder and Scully…”   
“Do you believe that?”   
“I’m not sure. I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that they stay put and can have normal lives.”   
“And if not?”  
“If they decide not to listen to me, then there is really not much I can do. My worry is… well if they come for the kids, Mulder, Scully, and Skinner will fight and if they fight- if they fight the colonists will kill them. Without a thought.” His eyes were closed tight and he was rubbing his forehead.   
“Well, then maybe if I go without a fight it will help win them over. At the very least, I could help convince them to leave the kids alone.”   
Gibson just nodded.   
They began to move Shelly’s meager belongings, although Gibson was not sure how much she would actually need.   
Scully stood in the main room fidgeting, as they were getting ready to leave. It was getting dark outside and she had instructed Gabby and William to stay inside. The two of them were playing a card game at the kitchen table, trying to stay in their own thoughts. Neither of them were happy that the colonists were taking Shelly. William watched them wearily, “Are you sure these aliens aren’t the bad guys? Cause they sure seem like the bad guys.”   
Gibson just shook his head, “They are immoral at worst.”   
“That’s comforting,” William said sounding every inch a teenager.   
Mulder smoothed his hand over William’s head in an attempt to calm him.   
Gibson had been trying to decide if he should tell the adults not to fight if the colonists came for the kids. On one hand, if they were thinking clearly they might decide not to fight, but it also may make them want to run which would also be a death sentence.   
________________________

He looked at them. Skinner was sitting on his cot with his elbows on his knees looking down at the floor his thoughts were on practical things about his new life on the reservation. Mulder was standing by the kids chewing on sunflower seeds and watching their card game, thinking mostly about what he would do if anyone came after them. Scully watched the children as well, but she seemed nervous. Her arms were crossed over her chest and her thoughts were a mess.   
“Gibson where are the Lone Gunmen? And my brothers?” Scully asked.   
He met her worried eyes, “The Gunmen are living with some colonists off the reservation right now, but they are safe. If you have a message for them I can deliver it. Your brothers and their families are safe. I know you were writing letters to them, I can deliver those when you are done. If you need me, just call out and I’ll come when I can.”  
Scully just looked down at her shoes while Mulder thought about what message he wanted to send the Gunmen.   
The small group watched Gibson and Shelly leave quietly. Shelly hugged the kids and told them she would see them soon.   
Mulder broke the silence, “Skinner, Will, I think we need to go get some water.”   
Skinner nodded and William gave a long-suffering look but got up without complaint.   
Gabby seemed especially disturbed by Shelly’s departure William made eye contact with Scully and she went over to comfort the little girl.   
Mulder and William watched them quietly as Skinner continued to keep to himself.   
Scully ran her hands over the child’s head, “Are you feeling sleepy?”   
Gabby nodded, her face still buried in Scully’s waist.   
“How about I read to you for a little while?”   
She nodded again.  
“Ok honey, well how about you change into your pajamas and you can brush your teeth when the guys get back with the water?”   
Gabby nodded again and went off to her room.  
____________________________

Scully found herself unable to sleep and was happy that the children were asleep. She’d checked before she went to bed, because she wanted some time for her own thoughts. All day she had been worried about her various thoughts making the kids nervous.   
Now the thoughts she had held her captive. Anxiety swirled inside her and she longed for normalcy. She remembered the short time they had at the unremarkable house with William and she wished they could go back in time and freeze it there.   
Tears tinged her vision as she heard Mulder’s gentle breathing beside her. She slowly turned and curled around him. He responded and pulled her tight to him in his sleep. The months that they were apart scared her. It had been almost twenty years since she’d slept with anyone besides Mulder and she felt violated that she’d been manipulated into sleeping with a stranger.   
Mulder felt the slight tremors that followed her tears and he woke up a bit more, “Can’t sleep?”   
His voice was low and warm against the top of her head, which he then kissed.   
“I’m sorry I woke you. I just-I needed to…” she struggled with her words.   
“I know.” He ran his fingers through her hair gently, “What are you thinking about?”   
She gave a small laugh, “Everything. This is crazy, Mulder. We’re too old for this.”   
“Speak for yourself.”   
She gave him a light punch, “So much has happened in such a short amount of time. I’m just having trouble wrapping my head around it.”   
“I know.” He whispered into her hair, “All we can do is live one day at a time and do the best we can.”   
“Have you thought about escaping?”   
“Of course. But I don’t think we can and even if we could there are apparently super soldiers roaming freely. And we have two kids with us. And I’m honestly kind of tired.”   
Scully nodded, “Me too.”   
There was silence for a couple minutes and Mulder wondered if she’d fallen asleep.   
“Mulder, when I was in Arizona… They gave me a fake life. I was living with another man who insisted he was my boyfriend. It all felt strange, but they told me it was that way because I’d injured my head in a car accident. They said I was suffering from temporary amnesia.” She wiped away a tear; “I had sex with the guy. It was awful, I felt almost violated but I thought it was because of my head injury, that I just felt disconnected. It was around then that I started having visions and dreams of you. I’m sorry. I wish I’d been stronger, that I’d been able to resist whatever they did to me-“   
“Scully, stop,” Mulder cut her off, “It’s not your fault. They manipulated you and stole your memories. You felt violated, because what they did to you is rape. I know what you’re doing right now; you’re blaming yourself for it. But I blame myself. I wasn’t able to do anything to save either of you. You and William were in so much pain, but I was fine. I should have been able to fight them off or at least do something. You saved us Scully. We would probably be dead without you.”   
Mulder pulled her closer and kissed her head, “You always save me.”   
She shook her head, but didn’t argue, “I love you,” she said simply and raised herself to kiss him.   
They slowly and quietly made love again and soon after both fell into a deep sleep.


	39. Prime Fishing Hours

Scully woke to the sound of a rooster crowing. It was odd to be waking up in this manner. At first, she did not know where she was. She was sleeping in a small uncomfortable bed. Mulder was there, but she knew it wasn’t their bed because of how cramped it was. 

She’d never been a big fan of cuddling while sleeping and Mulder usually respected that. She suspected that he did not mind the small bed as much as she did considering how he was curled around her. 

Despite her disinclination toward cuddling, she enjoyed waking up surrounded by his warmth that protected her from the morning chill. She could feel his breath on her neck and could feel his heartbeat on her back. 

She snuggled in closer to him and his arms tightened reflexively. It still took her a few moments to figure out where they were. The memories from the day before came back to her and she wished that she could go back to sleep.   
“Morning,” Mulder mumbled in her ear and gave a soft kiss to her neck.   
Scully turned around in his arms to face him, “Good morning.” 

The smell of eggs cooking greeted Skinner when he woke up. It had been years since he’d woken up to a hot breakfast and he began to feel slightly better about his living conditions if it meant waking up like this every day.

When he opened his eyes, he was unsurprised to see Scully standing over the wood-burning stove. She was in pajamas with a robe hanging from her shoulders. Mulder stood next to her, speaking to her in a low voice with a smile on his face. Skinner realized that he’d never really had the opportunity to see them like this and he found it interesting. He knew that he should be getting up to do his share of what he was sure was going to be a long day, but it was chilly in the poorly insulated shack and his blanket was warm. 

The cot he’d slept on, however, was not comfortable. There was a spring that was sticking up right on his shoulder blade and he knew he’d be feeling that all day. He made a mental note to get another blanket for some extra padding.  
He finally sat up and rubbed his eyes. He reached for the small table that was next to his bed and got his glasses. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose as he already began to feel the beginning of a headache. 

“Hey, Sleeping Beauty. How’d you sleep?” His eyes didn’t need to be open to recognize Mulder’s voice. 

“Mulder, the kids are still sleeping,” Scully scolded him softly. 

“I slept as good as can be expected. You?” Skinner began to get up. When his feet touched the cold floor, they flinched up and he reached for his bag to find a pair of socks. 

“Fine, I guess. The bed was not great, but what can you expect in this internment camp?” Mulder sounded as bitter as Skinner felt. 

Scully did not seem to like that characterization, “Mulder, you need to adjust yourself to the fact that this is our new life, at least for now. It’s not great, but we can at least try to keep things positive for the kids.” She said it softly to keep said children from hearing her words, even though they all knew that if the kids were awake, they were hearing everything. 

“I agree. We just need to make the best of it until we figure out what the hell is going on.” 

“I’ll tell you what the hell is going on,” Mulder’s stage whisper went up a notch. “What’s going on is a story as old as time. A group is living on their own land and then another group that is more prepared with better technology arrives and decimates the population. After the genocide, the more powerful group splits up the remaining population into small, controlled, groups. Except this time, instead of two groups of humans fighting for the land rights of a country or continent, it is a highly intelligent alien race against humanity for the whole world!” 

“Mulder! Take this outside. Now.” Scully said as she turned to see if William was still asleep. 

He appeared to be still in the throws of deep sleep and once she realized it, she calmed a bit. 

Mulder made eye contact with Skinner and nodded toward the door. The two men left their new little home and stood out in the morning sun.   
It was a beautiful area. 

The grass was covered with dew and a small layer of fog was settled over it as the moisture from the grass met the sun. Birds could be heard in the trees and the river that was not too far from them could be heard. 

Skinner had visited the park when it was still a National Forest. He and Sharon went on a camping trip there at the beginning of their marriage. Skinner banished that thought from his mind, before he could begin to wonder again what’d happened to his ex wife. 

“I don’t like that they want to see the kids. I don’t trust them and I am not sure how much I trust Gibson, honestly,” Mulder said as he looked at his feet.   
Skinner squinted at the sky. “Mulder, Gibson was the one who contacted me and the Gunmen and gave us vital information that led us to Scully. I’m not saying that he is telling us everything, but I think he genuinely cares for the kids. I don’t think he would let them be hurt.” 

“What just cause led you to Scully? How do we know that was not just apart of his plan to get the kids to the colonists?” 

“Do you think you and the kids were better off with the new syndicate?” Skinner asked roughly. 

Mulder just shook his head as he looked at his feet, “It was awful, Skinner. Torture. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to tell Scully about how they kept me from fighting back. I can’t even imagine- I don’t want to imagine- what they were doing to the kids. But I doubt that the colonists are somehow more altruistic than Diana and her colleagues.”

“I’m sure that their intentions are less than pure, but both Gibson and Shelly will be there to ensure the children are okay.”

“That’s another thing, though. We don’t even really know Shelly except that she helped us escape.” 

“William and Gabby seem to trust her and they can read minds.” 

“But can they read her mind? They can’t read Gibson’s.” 

“I think they can. Will was saying that it was odd not hearing Gibson, it was almost like a blind spot, he said finds it confusing. He didn’t mention Shelly when he was talking about it, so I assume that Gibson is the only person he’s come across that he can’t hear,” Skinner shrugged. 

“Remember that night Will was born?” Mulder ducked his head up to glance at Skinner and sadness was written on his face. “I knew he wouldn’t be normal. I mean, I guess we all knew it, but when Scully gave him up I began to hope we’d be able to keep him away from all this.” 

Skinner put a hand on Mulder’s shoulder. “Mulder… everyone is involved in this mess now. If he wasn’t with the two of you when this happened, they would have found him anyways. Diana would have found him at the very least and I’m sure the Colonists would have too. At least this way, he has you and Scully to protect him.”   
Mulder didn’t respond. 

“Mulder, you need to focus on the fact that you have a family right now. I know you’re not used to it, but you’ve been talking for years like you wanted it. Well now it is here, so it’s not the time to go running off and trying to be a hero. Now is the time for you to ignore your instinct to do that. Your son is here, Scully is here, not to mention that little girl in there who has never had a family.”

Mulder gave a small smile, “Yeah, Scully is already head over heels for her.” He sighed as he looked ahead and squinted, “You’re right. Scully said as much to me before the Syndicate came after us.” 

The barking of a dog interrupted them and they turned to see Dagoo running out of the shack followed by Gabby who was giggling and chasing the dog in her pajamas and bare feet. 

The dog crouched down and jumped as she tried to take the toy he was holding hostage. William ran out a second later and charged the dog.

The men had been standing far enough away that they felt pretty confident the kids had not heard their conversation and they were not showing any signs that they had. 

Mulder and Skinner walked back to the shack as they watched the children and the dog play. 

“Gabby, you should put some shoes on. Aren’t you cold?” Mulder asked. She stopped and looked down at her feet as if noticing it for the first time. A small shiver ran through her and Mulder shrugged off the zip up hoodie he was wearing and wrapped it around her. 

She looked up at him with gleaming eyes and Mulder for a moment remembered all of the generated visions where he always had a daughter. His heart broke a little bit for the family that was never meant to be, but he also grew hopeful for the new family that was forming. 

“Okay guys, so you and Skinner and I don’t have anything to do today, so we are going to get some things done. Scully is going to be doing her doctor thing and I want us to be productive,” Mulder said as he shoved some slightly burnt scrambled eggs into his mouth. “Gibson left us some fishing equipment that I want to take for a spin.”

Skinner moved the food around on his plate like a little boy, “I’m going to chop some wood. We only have enough for another day or so right now.” 

Mulder nodded at him, “Then it will be the three of us.” He gestured toward the kids.   
William had an odd look on his face, but Gabby was so excited she looked like she was about to jump out of her chair and leave now. 

“Have you guys been fishing before?” Mulder asked.   
Will nodded silently, not looking up from his plate.

“I didn’t get to go outside, but I have watched movies with fishing and read books about it!” Gabby relayed this information so casually that the sadness of the statement nearly went over the heads of the adults. 

Scully watched her son carefully with concern. William looked up at her as he heard her concern. He made eye contact with her and Scully could see tears gathering in his eyes. He gave a slight shake of his head to indicate that he did not want her to reach for him or make his sadness known. Scully sat stiffly in her seat, but nodded. She felt like she would need to sit on her hands to prevent herself from trying to hold him.

Mulder and Gabby had picked up the conversation about fishing as the little girl asked him a multitude of questions. 

“What kinds of fish could we catch?” Gabby asked practically bouncing in her seat.   
Mulder smiled at her. “Probably some bass, pike, blue gill. I’m sure we won’t catch anything very big. I’m not a very accomplished fisherman, but who knows.” 

“I’ll go get dressed.” William said as he got up from the table to go to his bunk. 

Scully got up and followed him and hovered while he gathered his clothes to then go find a private place to change. 

“My dad and I used to go fishing every year,” William said quietly as he stared into his duffel bag. 

Scully stood away from him and just let him talk. 

“That weekend that we came to find you. That was the time every year that he would take me. My mom wanted to cheer me up.” 

He looked up at Scully, “Do you think she’d be alive if I wouldn’t have pushed to go to D.C.?” 

His eyes were clear and Scully knew the question shouldn’t hurt, but it did and she hated that he could feel the hurt that raked through her. She saw it on his face a moment after she felt it. 

She moved to sit on his cot and opened her mind to him completely.   
‘I don’t know, Will.’ She was looking right into his eyes as hers filled with tears.   
He looked down, “I’m sure I’ll have fun with Mulder and Gabby, but I just-I miss my dad. It’s been a little while now but…” He picked up on her own thoughts that were of her own father who’d died over twenty years before.   
Scully still mourned him often. “It never fully goes away but it gets better.” She took both his hands, held them in her own, and placed them on her lap.   
‘I’ll always miss my parents.’ She felt a tear make its way down her face.   
William moved quickly and soon his arms were wrapped around her shoulders. “Thank you.”   
Scully was not sure exactly what he was thanking her for, but she accepted the hug gratefully and never wanted to let go.   
“Will!” Mulder shouted from across the room, “Get dressed, we’re missing prime fishing hours!”   
Both of them gave a small laugh and parted. Scully took his face between her hands and looked at him for a moment. She saw Mulder in him and it hurt for just a moment, as she considered all that they’d missed. She placed a soft kiss on his forehead and went to get ready for the day ahead.


End file.
